Musical Chairs
by Epicocity
Summary: AU. "Love is easy. It's relationships that screw it up." Wendy Marvell-Dragneel didn't have time to fall in love; her brother Natsu probably thought the same way. She also didn't expect her time in the Magnolia High Music Program, a cute black-haired boy, a smug guild and a music competition to change that but life doesn't always go the way you planned. Nalu. Rowen.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the first chapter of MUSICAL CHAIRS, my first multi-chapter Fairy Tail fanfiction. Well, I won't talk your ear off here, so just read, enjoy and tell me what you think.**

**Author: Epicocity**

**Rating: T for language and innuendos**

**Pairings: Nalu, Rowen, Gruvia, Jerza, Gale and others**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail. Those rights belong specifically to Hiro Mashima and Kodansha.**

* * *

_**MUSICAL CHAIRS**_

_**A Fairy Tail Fanfiction**_

Chapter 1

Wendy Marvell-Dragneel was ecstatic.

In this case, ecstatic meant that she was ready to jump down the stairs and sing her happiness to the entire world, despite her typically shy nature. After all, the letter clasped in her hand made her excited! More excited than she'd been since her step-brother Natsu had received the same letter two years ago. She was literally prepared to go bouncing off walls, but managed to hold it in as she re-read the letter for what felt like the fiftieth time in five minutes. Then she gave a high-pitched squeal of joy and darted from her room, her door slamming open with just a little more restraint than Natsu's usually did.

The fourteen-year old flew down the stairs, her blue-haired pigtails trailing behind her, and landed perfectly at the foot of the stairs…until her foot caught on the rug and she fell with a mighty crash. It didn't hurt her, but it was certainly enough to draw the attention of her mother.

"Good heavens, Wendy, what are you doing?" she asked concernedly. Wendy rubbed her head, where a small bruise was forming, her left hand still clutching that oh-so-important missive.

"Sorry, mom, I tripped," Wendy confessed as she stood and straightened her shorts.

"I can tell that," Grandine commented dryly. "My question is why did you trip?"

Wendy glanced nervously up at her mother for a moment before shyly answering, "I was running." This made Grandine roll her eyes as Wendy uttered yet another, "Sorry…"

"I swear, you're becoming more like your brother every day," she said.

Wendy couldn't help but smile toothily at that, revealing the strangely pointed canines that were shared amongst her family members. It was true that Natsu wasn't her full brother, but she truly couldn't imagine him as anything but. After all, he had been her step-brother for seven years. After Wendy's father had left when she was only three years old (she barely even remembered what he looked like), Grandine Marvell had met Igneel Dragneel and his son Natsu. Somehow, they had fallen in love and since both Wendy and Natsu got along like they'd known each other their whole lives, it was like a match made in heaven.

In particular, Wendy admired Natsu like no other. Her brother served as an inspiration and source of encouragement that a person with her shy personality needed. So, when her mother told her she was becoming more like Natsu, she considered it to be the highest compliment she could receive. However, Grandine was already speaking again, so Wendy focused on her mother's words.

"I already have one of you destroying the house every other week," she said with a sigh, though the smile on her face told a different story. "What happened to my quiet daughter?"

"I'm still quiet, mom," Wendy pointed out, now bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. She was eager to tell her brother the great news.

"That's true," Grandine huffed out. Suddenly, her smile slipped off and her eyes turned eerily sharp. "Happy, if you set one paw in that kitchen for fish I will kick you out of this house faster than you can say 'aye'."

Wendy laughed as she noticed the blue cat (Natsu had a strange sense of humor) slink away from the kitchen and her mother subsequently take up her own post in said room. She also noticed the cat try to take another route to sneak into the kitchen. The fourteen-year old bluenette shook her head and made her way over to the living room.

"You agreed, Natsu!" said a decidedly feminine voice from the living room. Wendy's smile brightened; she knew who that voice belonged to.

"A year ago, Luce," argued the voice of her brother. "You can't hold me to that. Besides, Metal-head and I have worked out something really cool!"

"Yes, because a saxophone and drums combo is _so_ unheard of," retorted the female voice.

"It makes more sense than flute and drums, and like I said, we've made something super different and awesome." Stony silence met him before her brother's female companion sighed loudly.

"You'll owe me for this."

"Fine, I'll take you to dinner, then." Natsu's concession caused numerous splutters to come from the girl in the room. This prompted Wendy to finally enter the room and save them from embarrassment.

Sitting on the couch with his legs propped on the coffee table was her brother, Natsu Dragneel. His unruly salmon (not pink, as he liked to remind everyone) hair sticking up and making him look like he had just woken up from a nap. In his fingers, he was twiddling a pair of drumsticks absentmindedly. With him in the room was Lucy Heartfilia, who was also sitting on the couch, her legs draped across Natsu's lap in a relaxed state. Seeing that sight, Wendy had no wonder as to how the rumors had started that the two were an item. Of course, they didn't see her, so she cleared her throat.

"Oh, hey, Wendy!" Natsu greeted with his familial grin. Lucy turned in her position to give a smile and a wave to the younger girl. "What's up?"

"I got in!" Wendy squeaked. Natsu raised an eyebrow, causing the smile on Wendy's face to slip a little. "The Magnolia Music Program."

"That's awesome!" Natsu exclaimed, his grin wider now that he understood.

"Congratulations, Wendy," said Lucy.

"I'm so excited!" Wendy said jubilantly. "I can't wait to join you guys for the music camp this year."

"It'll be so great to have you," Lucy agreed, finally moving from her position to stand. "I really hope you'll be put in Fairy Tail like the rest of us."

"Hell yeah, with Wendy in our band, we'll totally win!" Natsu said. "Now I'm really fired up!" Lucy rolled her eyes at Natsu's catchphrase before leaning over and catching Wendy in a hug. The younger girl reciprocated the action until both decided to pull away.

"I've got to call Chelia," Wendy told them before excusing herself with a bow. Lucy and Natsu let her go with a wave before slipping back into normal conversation.

As soon as Wendy closed the door to her room, she flopped onto her bed, causing her own white cat, Carla, to hiss momentarily. She then quickly reached over and grabbed her cell phone, speed-dialing her best friend, Chelia Blendy. It took only two rings for the perky fifteen-year old to answer the phone. "Wendy, perfect timing. I'm trying to figure out what clothes I should wear to get Lyon to notice me. I was thinking about my cousin's dresses but then I realized that they're way too slutty. Don't you think so? Wendy?"

"Uh…" was the only sound that Wendy could make. Sometimes, she just couldn't keep up with this girl. "I…don't really know."

"Come on, Wendy, I need your help! This is a matter of life and _love_!" Well, there was something Wendy recognized: Chelia's insistence on love. Her best friend believed there wasn't nearly enough of it. Wendy personally thought she had too much.

"Just be yourself…?" Wendy offered tentatively. Why was Chelia asking her for help? She had never even gone on a date a day in her life. "Anyway, I have something to tell you. I got into the program!"

"You did?" Chelia asked happily, the previous part of the conversation forgotten. "See? What did I tell you? You're the best clarinet player in your age group. There was no way they'd turn you down!"

"But Magnolia High's music program is the best in Fiore. There was no guarantee…"

"Stop doubting yourself!" Chelia said sternly. "You're in the Magnolia Music Program now, so be more confident. You'll never get a boyfriend that way."

"Chelia!" Wendy whined. "You know I'm not into that right now. I have to focus on my school and music studies."

"But Wendy," Chelia emulated, "it's all about love! You know, there're plenty of cute boys in the clarinet section."

"I'm ending this conversation now," Wendy warned in the hopes that her best friend would simply drop the subject.

"Okay! See you in two weeks at music camp. Be prepared…" she cautioned in a dark tone before the line went dead. Even so, the statement hadn't scared her.

It thrilled her. The Magnolia Music Program was the premier music program in all of Fiore. Anyone who wanted to make it in the world of music went through it during high school. Four years of intense musical performances and competitions and this program was at the top. For thirty years they had won the major contests and now Wendy was finally going to be a part of it.

It had been her dream since she was six when both she and Natsu had watched the Magnolia Marching Band weave their way through the streets during the Fantasia parade. The next day, Natsu had picked up a pair of drumsticks while Wendy cheered him on. When she was finally old enough, she joined him, though her musical inclination was more towards woodwinds, which made it no wonder that she got along so well with Lucy, who was a flutist. That dream had pushed her forward, and then two years ago Natsu and Lucy left for music camp with the others, returning with the brilliant stories.

In particular, there were the stories of Fairy Tail and the other groups that comprised the music program. Wendy didn't fully understand the group structure and Natsu didn't tell her anything, insisting that she'd experience it for herself. So, even not knowing, Wendy built up her anticipation of wanting to be in Fairy Tail. She was _ready_ for this.

"I can't believe it, Carla," she whispered to her cat. "I'm actually going. I can't wait." Before she could stop herself, Wendy stood and strode over to her calendar, marking the date. She only hoped that two weeks wouldn't be that long of a wait.

* * *

As it turned out, two weeks wasn't that long of a wait, partially because of the ridiculous amount of practice and preparation that Wendy subjected herself to. If she wasn't out with her parents to buy water bottles or camp material, then she was sitting down everyday to practice the music that had arrived in the mail with the acceptance letter. Sometimes she'd join Natsu, but considering the exuberance with which he practiced, Wendy considered safer options. Those safer options usually included Lucy, who, Grandine joked, was over at their house more than her husband was.

"That's because my dad's in the middle of a huge business deal and I just knew that Natsu would find a way to screw it up," Lucy confided to Wendy the night before their departure.

"That's not true!" Wendy defended. "If Natsu knows it's important, he wouldn't mess it up."

"Then obviously he never told you about the Soloist Debacle from last year," Lucy muttered.

Rather than dampening her spirits, though, this story energized Wendy about what tomorrow would bring. She was so happy about this that when her alarm rang at five in the morning, she shot out of bed and got dressed in a flash. As expected, the house was practically devoid of life except for Happy who was stationed outside her room. Avoiding the inevitable accident with blue cat, Wendy walked to the middle of the hallway and decided to take a leaf from Natsu's book.

"Today's the day! Time to get up everyone!" she yelled loudly, the sound reverberating through the house.

"Go back to sleep, Wendy," muttered Natsu from behind his bedroom door. His words were reluctant, but Wendy realized with a wide grin that the percussionist was already more than awake. So she left and skipped down the stairs to begin making the family breakfast.

An hour later, the Dragneels were on their way to Crocus Fields, the campsite set just a few miles away from the capital, Crocus, that would play host to the music camp for the following two weeks. Joining them were their cats and plenty of luggage. The drive itself was a few hours, but Wendy was filled with such anticipation that like the weeks before, the hours flew by. It helped that, by nature, the Dragneels were a very social family, and they played numerous road games to pass the time.

The end result was that by three in the afternoon, they had pulled into the Crocus Fields parking lot and began unloading their car. Wendy was, naturally, the first one out of the car as she took in the surroundings with her moth agape. Close to two hundred cars were there with just as many students pouring out of them, their musical cases and suitcases clasped firmly to their sides. It was just as Wendy had dreamed.

"You better make sure to take care of Lily, dad," said a nearby voice. Wendy turned her head in its direction and recognized its owner. Frankly, he had his father weren't that hard to notice with the multiple piercings on their faces.

"Why the hell did you give your cat such a girly name, Gajeel?" asked the boy's father. Gajeel clearly didn't hear him because he was currently snuggling up against a black cat that looked completely uninterested.

"I'm gonna miss you, Lily!" Wendy giggled at that, which drew the attention of both her brother and Gajeel.

"You're way too into your cat, metal-head!" Natsu jeered. Gajeel snapped a look of annoyance to him, the action allowing his cat, Pantherlily, to leap back into the car.

"Shut up, Salamander!" he snapped before he caught sight of Wendy. "Hey, there! How's my favorite cousin?"

Before Wendy could answer, Natsu once again spouted his mouth off. "Why aren't I your favorite cousin?"

"'Cause we ain't related by blood," Gajeel snapped, suddenly getting into Natsu's face. Wendy sighed at the two as she saw her parents speaking with Gajeel's father, Metallicana, in the background. "Plus, you're annoying and stupid as hell."

"He's got a point, you know," said the voice of Gray Fullbuster as he walked over with his trumpet case slung over his body and his shirt missing.

"You wanna go, stripper?" Natsu bellowed, causing Gray to look down.

"Aw, crap, where did my shirt go?"

"Juvia has it Gray-sama!" squealed Juvia Lockser. Wendy looked at her fellow bluenette and clarinetist. Like always, she was staring at Gray adoringly and speaking just as strangely.

"Thanks, Juvia." Wendy could swear the girl had died of happiness.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're all here on time."

"H-hey, Erza…" stuttered Natsu as he, Gajeel and Gray turned to the red-haired beauty in horror. Attached to her side was a frightened Lucy who was waving meekly. "W-we were just catching up."

"Like best friends should," Gray supported, throwing his arm around the two cousins.

"Aye…" Erza seemed pleased with this because she soon focused her gaze on Wendy, the hard lines on her face softening.

"It's good to see you here, Wendy," she said, causing Wendy to once again smile. She was starting to feel like her face would split open from repeating that action too much. "Anyway, Director Makarov is preparing to make the opening announcements so I suggest you boys head over to the guild's section. Mira should already be there. Wendy, you'll have to check in and join the other freshmen on the field."

Wendy nodded in appreciation, but Natsu was far more mutinous. "I swear, she becomes drum major and she lets it go to her head."

"Tell me about it," Gray said, still shirtless.

"Did you two say something?"

"No," the two said simultaneously.

"Good, I expect you there in five minutes." Then she left, with Lucy still tagging along for the ride. Her departure signaled a sudden flurry of activity from her brother, cousin and Gray.

"Sorry, Wendy," apologized Natsu, "but Erza will skin us alive if we're not there in five minutes. I'll see you later. See you in two weeks, Happy." Wendy barely managed to say her goodbye (Happy had hardly meowed his) before the three had vanished, taking Juvia with them.

"That child needs to slow down sometimes. We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye," Grandine said to her daughter. Next to her, Igneel laughed.

"We Dragneel men aren't known for sentimental goodbyes," he boomed out. Grandine raised an eyebrow at his statement, prompting Igneel to shut his mouth. Then she turned to Wendy.

"Take care, Wendy," she cautioned. "Stay safe and try to keep your brother out of trouble."

"I always do," Wendy responded before hugging her mother and father. "I'll see you in two weeks. And look after Happy, Carla." She could swear her cat had made a "tch" sound. Then, just like her brother, Wendy quickly grasped her clarinet case and travel bag and set off in the direction Natsu and the others had gone.

Thankfully, it wasn't hard to find where she was supposed to go, since the students were splitting off into two. So, Wendy followed the smaller group. Her instinct proved to be right because it led her straight to the freshman registration desk. After a moment of processing, Wendy had received her cabin key and itinerary and began making her way to the field with the other freshmen. She was almost immediately waylaid, however.

"Wendy, you made it!" cried Chelia as Wendy felt herself smothered by the over-energetic pinkette. "I was almost worried because I hadn't seen you yet."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"I know that, but-"

"Chelia, we have to get to Lamia Scale's section!" called a white-haired boy from a small distance away. Chelia turned to him with a glowing face.

"Coming, Lyon! See you later, Wendy!" Then Chelia was gone, leaving Wendy to be swept away by the tide of students making their way to the field. She was all too quickly deposited in the freshman section and nearly tripped over her own feet until someone caught her.

"Thanks," she muttered as she turned to face her rescuer.

"Not a problem," the girl said. She had flowing pink hair and a tight tank top with the words "MUSIC LOVER" splayed across her ample cleavage. It almost made Wendy jealous, but the warm smile from the girl was enough to make her abandon that line of thought. "I'm Meredy."

"Wendy," she said back as the two shook hands. "You play oboe?"

"Yep!" Meredy said, holding her oboe case up proudly. "Looks like we can be woodwind buddies!"

"'Woodwind buddies'?" Wendy laughed out.

"Yeah. What cabin are you in? I'm in seven," Meredy said jubilantly. The girl's attitude practically matched Wendy's own and she was finding herself drawn to the magnetic girl's presence. She looked at her own information.

"Same," she said, noting she had the same cabin number as Meredy. The pinkette smiled and was about to say something when a voice boomed across the field.

"Welcome to another year, you brats!" Wendy and Meredy (along with the roughly fifty other freshmen) turned in the direction of the voice. Atop a high scaffold that towered over the field stood an old man, small in stature but brimming with energy. Wendy guessed that this man was Director Makarov.

"That's harsh, gramps!" called Natsu from far away.

"Shut it, Natsu, and let me speak!" A chorus of laughs sounded from other parts of the field. Wendy resisted the urge to facepalm. "Now, most of you already know this, so I'll just be saying this for the benefit of the freshmen here.

"Magnolia's Music Camp is an intense two weeks of musical training all in preparation for the upcoming competition season. To this extent, we don't believe in wasting time. During your weeks here you will be tested mentally, musically, and physically. Your first week will comprise of two portions: marching and concert. The marching portion will take place during the day and we will prepare and finalize our competition set. The evening will then be reserved to musical practice with your guildmates. The nighttime is when you should be in your cabin. No exceptions!

"Now, what is a guild you may ask? The answer is simple. Tomorrow evening, before your concert segments, you will be pre-sorted into the group that you will practice with. This guild will be like your family for the next four years and will serve as a means of encouragement in the future."

Makarov cleared his throat briefly before he continued on. "Now, I am pleased to announce yet another year of the Grand Music Games!" A loud cheer erupted from the field, though Wendy and her fellow freshmen simply looked nonplussed. "The Grand Music Games is a competition which will take place during the second week of this camp. In this you will compete along with your guild for victory in a series of five categories. The winning guild will then have the honor of representing our program at most of the contests in the future. That should be enough incentive for you to give us first rate performances. For now, though, you brats have the rest of the day off, so make sure you enjoy it, 'cause tomorrow we're going to work you ragged." He then gave a positively demonic grin before disappearing off the scaffold.

"Hey, Wendy," Meredy said from next to her, drawing the bluenette's attention, "let's put our bags in the cabin and grab a bite to eat."

"Sure." The two freshmen quickly grabbed their luggage and made their way out of the swirling cloud of their peers. Meredy quickly consulted her map and in no time at all, they had arrived at the rather spacious cabin. To their surprise, there were already occupants there.

"You're in here, too, Wendy?" called Lucy from one of the bunk beds. Wendy smiled brightly and nodded as Erza walked out from the bathroom.

"The cabin passes the cleanliness inspection this year," she said. Above Lucy, someone sighed. Wendy shifted her angle to see it was yet another blue-haired junior.

"We're not going through that again, are we?"

"Well, cleanliness does enhance your concentration, Levy," said a black haired girl that Wendy didn't recognize. Meredy seemed to, however, because she gave the girl a wave.

"Juvia agrees," said Juvia, before quietly mumbling, "But Juvia would rather be in a cabin with Gray-sama."

"Oh, Juvia…" Lucy laughed out. "Anyway, Wendy, why don't you and your friend just pick a bunk and unpack. Then we'll all head out to get some food."

"All right!" Wendy and Meredy quickly did as suggested. Within half an hour, the girls were filing out of the cabin. Wendy was the last out. Before she locked the door, she looked back to glance around the room and smiled.

Wendy didn't know what these next two weeks would hold, but for now, she could say she was happy.

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**Author's Note: As stated above this is the first chapter of this fanficiton. It's entirely different from my usual genre so I hope I can do it justice. Either way, I'd love to know what you think. For that matter, you don't need any knowledge of band or how those things work to enjoy this story because, well, that's simply the setting. Also, I fiddled with some ages to make most of the characters fit in high school and I used Meredy's timeskip personality because, well, it's better. Anyway, please review my story for me and, Dare to Be Silly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I find all my Fairy Tail stories are about Wendy. I'm sensing a pattern here…Chapter 2 start!**

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Chapter 2

The next morning did not go at all as Wendy had expected. Mostly this was attributed to the fact that she had expected to be the first one up. The truth was far from that expectation. In fact, other than Meredy, who was still snoring loudly in the bunk above her, Wendy turned out to be the last one up. This proved to be both a blessing and a curse.

"Make sure you apply enough sunblock, Wendy," Erza informed her sternly. "You don't want to burn when we're out on the fields and the sun certainly seems strong today. I'd recommend SPF 45 on most of your body and 23 for your face. Also, do you have a hat? That would probably help. Don't forget your water bottles, and a change of clothes wouldn't-"

"Give the girl a chance to breathe, Erza," Levy said, her hands clasping onto Wendy's shoulders and steering her away from the domineering redhead.

"I'm just giving her pointers for her first day out."

"No offense, Erza, but I don't thinks she should take advice from someone who packed a year's worth of luggage for two weeks." Erza placed her hands on her hips in disappointment but still allowed Levy to wheel Wendy away.

"Thank you," she finally gasped out. Levy gave a little smile.

"No problem. Erza means well but she can be pretty over-bearing," Levy confessed. "You should have seen her our freshman year."

"She can still be pretty imposing, even to juniors," Lucy said as she walked over to her and Levy's combined bunk. She was finishing with getting dressed as she pulled a tank top down, exposing her more than ample bosom. Levy glared at her but said nothing and it even made Wendy feel quite self-conscious. "I'm surprised you had the guts to stand up to her."

"W-well, Gajeel asked me to look after Wendy," the bluenette confessed quietly. Wendy's eyebrows flew into her hair as Lucy affixed herself with a smirk.

"Ooh, Levy…you and Gajeel, huh?"

"It's n-not like that, Lu-chan!" Levy protested with a beet red face.

"Sure it isn't," Lucy said. Seeing that the conversation was going to take a rather personal turn, Wendy quietly slunk away to finish getting ready, though she did catch a few more snippets. "Jet and Droy won't be happy."

Wendy shook her head and slapped her cheeks briefly. She needed to get her head in the game for today. Listening to people's stories about their relationships would do nothing for her. So she focused on getting ready, an exercise that was only interrupted by Meredy waking up. When she had at last finished, the fourteen-year old girl felt yet another arm clasp around her.

"Juvia will go with Wendy to breakfast," said the third bluenette in the room. "Clarinets stick together, no?"

"Sure," Wendy acknowledged and she allowed herself to be carted off, her clarinet case bumping against her side periodically. Juvia finally let go of her when they left the cabin.

Outside, the sun was blazing upon the fields and paths that led to the dining hall where breakfast would be served. Thankfully, there was enough tree cover to protect them, but Wendy could already tell that it was going to be a hot day. She adjusted the hat on her head and quickly picked up the pace after Juvia in order to get out of the heat as soon as possible. That made it a relief to get inside the air-conditioned dining hall.

"Juvia, my love-"

"Shut it, Lyon. Can't you see she's busy? !" Wendy was instantly bombarded with the image of a half-naked Gray and his adoptive brother, Lyon, butting heads against one another. Juvia stood stock still at the sight and Wendy quickly determined that she wasn't going to get anywhere by sticking around. So, she surreptitiously snuck away and entered the hall only to quickly catch sight of her brother.

"Hey, ready for your first day, sis," Natsu greeted, setting a plate before Wendy and piling eggs onto it. Wendy frowned on this.

"You guys don't have to keep babying me," she protested shyly. Next to her, Gajeel laughed.

"Gee hee, maybe we want to take care of you, kid."

"I can take care of myself!"

"Listen to the kid," said a new voice. Wendy finally saw the third occupant of the table but couldn't seem to remember where she'd seen him before. He had blonde hair and more muscle mass than Natsu and Gajeel put together. He had headphone in his ears but it was quite obvious from his comments that he wasn't actually listening to anything.

"Hey, butt out from our family, Laxus!" Natsu said. Wendy rolled her eyes. She could tell that her brother was more inviting a fight than deterring one with his words.

"Then stop being so damn annoying," Laxus responded, sipping his cup of coffee. Just then, Gray came running up to the table with his pants missing and fierce eyes. Seeing as this was generally a common occurrence around Gray, Wendy simply turned to her food.

"Saber Tooth's here," Gray said. The mood at the table suddenly changed as four pairs of eyes focused on the door to the dining hall intently. Wendy joined them but couldn't figure out why they were acting the way they did. Who, or what, was Saber Tooth?

She received her answer moments later when the doors opened and four people walked in. Every eye was drawn toward them: some in admiration and some with sneering disdain like her brother and cousin. At the head of the group was a boy with blonde hair styled similarly to Natsu's and wearing a look of arrogance that Wendy felt ruined his otherwise attractive features. Next Wendy saw a far more modest looking boy with black hair that draped over one side of his face. Behind these two was a burly boy who looked more like he belonged on a football team and another who had such a haughty look that it made Wendy wrinkle her nose in displeasure.

"They're missing one," Gajeel commented.

"Maybe she got sick and won't show," Gary said hopefully, his own glare focusing on the haughty looking on.

"You really think that's the case?" Laxus asked. Natsu cracked his knuckles in response. This action seemed to catch the attention of the lead boy because he smirked and made his way over to their table.

"Hey, Natsu," he greeted. Wendy was now able to survey him closer, noticing a thin scar by his right eye and what appeared to be admiration in his eyes as he looked at her brother.

"Sting," Natsu growled. "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to say hi," Sting said in such a disingenuous tone that it made Wendy cringe. This called notice to her, however. "Who's this?"

"My sister." Sting observed Wendy a moment, making her flush.

Then he turned away with a scoff and uttered, "I guess you'll need all the help you can get this year."

"Sting!" called the black-haired boy from behind him.

"What do you want, Rogue?"

"Let's get breakfast."

"I'm bus-"

"Now!" Rogue had sad it calmly but with such authority that even Sting seemed to submit to it. His frown appeared for but a moment before he smirked once again and walked away haughtily. Next to Wendy, Gajeel scoffed.

"I swear, Rogue is the only decent one of the bunch," he said. None of the other boys said anything, though Natsu returned to his pancakes and began stabbing them to death. Wendy looked between them all worriedly but considering that they were offering up no other information, she went back to her breakfast.

The rest of the meal passed rather uneventfully and soon Wendy had left with Juvia and a fuming Chelia (who had arrived soon after the meeting with Saber Tooth) for the fields.

To her surprise, the clarinet section was huge and the group was still swelling in size. Chelia was the first to comment on the matter. "See, lots of cute boys."

"Not this again, Chelia," Wendy said as she bent to set up her clarinet.

"So, you consider me cute, Chelia. I'm flattered, even if you are from Lamia," said an older boy who put his hands on both Chelia and Wendy's shoulders.

"You're flattered by every girl, Hibiki," Chelia commented. The boy, Hibiki, chuckled and ran his hands through his hair. Moments later, he caught sight of Juvia.

"Juvia, you're looking lov-"

"Hibiki knows that Juvia is in love with Gray-sama," the blue-haired clarinetist suddenly declared, leaving Hibiki speechless. "Are you going to lead the clarinets or will Juvia?"

"Ugh, fine. Clarinets, line up!" Hibiki suddenly ordered. Wendy's eyes widened as she realized that the boy in front of her was actually their section leader. She quickly found her place in line, sandwiched between Chelia and an unknown black-haired boy. The rest of the clarinets weren't quite as fast and ended up getting yelled at by either Hibiki or Juvia.

When the mayhem of reassembly had faded, Hibiki nodded and walked off to the side of the field, coming back with a mountain of paper. Juvia took some of it from him and began calling off names. The whole time, Hibiki spoke over her. "Director Makarov has given us this first day as nothing more than preparing each individual section. By the end of today we will not only have all of our music memorized for the program but you will also have the footwork down for marching. I expect us all to be ready by tomorrow so we don't embarrass the clarinets on the field. Is that understood?"

Wendy joined the others in confirmation just as her name was called. She walked to Juvia and took a sheaf of papers from her, quickly returning to her place in the line. Her eyes flitted down to her packet and saw all the dots and lines that indicated her marching pattern. Wendy flipped through it and was hit with an overwhelming thought: there was no way she could memorize all this in a week. Next to her, the black-haired boy chuckled, causing Wendy to shoot him a glare. He noticed.

"Oh, I wasn't laughing at you," he said, throwing his hands up in defense. "It's just; I had the exact same reaction myself just last year."

"Oh," Wendy said bluntly. Now she felt bad for glaring at him. He just gave another chuckle.

"Yeah…I know it seems like a lot," the boy continued, "but it's actually quite easy. I mean, you look the type to already have your music memorized, right?"

"Yeah, I had it memorized a week ago," Wendy confessed proudly.

"There you go! Now you just have to memorize your steps and that'll be instinct by the end of the week. Trust me, you'll be great."

Wendy smiled at the compliment the boy had paid her. She didn't even know him, yet he was still encouraging her. "Thanks!"

"No problem. Romeo Conbolt," the boy offered, pointing at himself.

"Wendy Marvell-Dragneel," she answered. She was unsure why she used her full name, but at the same time, she hardly cared. Romeo, on the other hand, seemed to care quite a bit.

"Wait, you're Natsu's sister? !" he asked in gleeful surprise. Wendy nodded at him inquisitively, but before either could say anything more, Hibiki had called the clarinets to order once again.

"All right, now that you all have your marching patterns, we're going to spend the morning until lunch practicing our music. I'm sure most of you have it memorized, but there always seems to be a few freshmen who don't do it." His eyes raked over the crowd but Wendy paid more notice to Juvia, who was staring at Hibiki and sniggering. It took him a moment to notice and quickly say, "Don't listen to the lies Juvia tells you."

"Rumor is," Romeo began, leaning in towards Wendy, "he spent all his time being a womanizer that by the time he arrived at camp, he was the only freshman who hadn't even touched his music." Wendy giggled at the story while Romeo grinned.

When the chaos of Juvia's laughter and Hibiki's attempt at suave scowling had faded, the clarinets were finally forced to get into order. Wendy saw Romeo move off to join the 2nd Clarinets while she found her arm inextricably linked with Chelia's as she was dragged off to the 1st Clarinets. It had surprised Wendy (pleasantly so) that she had managed to make 1st clarinet in her freshman year, and she felt a certain amount of pride from it.

"So, Romeo, huh?" Chelia said, wiggling her eyebrows. Wendy sighed; not this again. Chelia seemed to catch on to her best friend's trepidation as she changed her approach. "I'm just kidding, Wendy. Although, he is single, last I heard."

"So is Lyon," Wendy grumbled, causing a miffed look to appear on her friend's face. "Go bother him for a change."

"Well, I would, but all he ever talks about is that blue-haired hussy. Hey, Juvia!" Wendy caught sight of the bluenette approaching, and judging from Juvia's greeting, she hadn't heard a word that Chelia had said about her.

Wendy was thankfully spared further conversation as Hibiki set the entire section to work. She was grateful she had taken Lucy's advice and memorized her music before coming to camp, because she realized that trying to memorize their music in this heat and sun would not have been fun. Hibiki (upon hearing complaints from other freshmen) stated that it was to build stamina for the marching section that afternoon. Wendy just thought of it as torture. Sure, she didn't mind a little bit of heat here and there; she was sister to what was likely Magnolia's most-known pyromaniac. This heat and sun were grueling, however.

Wendy was one of the people who had it lucky. Since she had taken the time to memorize her music perfectly all she had to deal with were the occasional pauses under the beating sun. Some of the other freshmen, and even a sophomore named Milliana, were more unfortunate since they hadn't memorized their sheets. So, they were forced to endure first hand help (for the ladies) and/or lectures (mostly for the boys) from Hibiki.

This wasn't to say that Hibiki was domineering. No, Wendy could only describe him as kindly and helpful. He knew all the music by heart and within half an hour it became easily apparent that he had already memorized everyone's names perfectly. He spoke with an air of geniality and encouragement that drew many a person toward him, allowing him to easily instruct them and foster camaraderie amongst the section. Of course, most of his help was directed towards the females, but Wendy ignored that fact and continued on with her music.

Within four hours, the clarinets had fully memorized the three songs, even if not to perfection. Juvia assured her that they had done better than last year, and they would always have an hour everyday to practice before marching. This made Wendy feel better; she wasn't quite sure that she had given a great performance. Either way, when everything was said and done, Hibiki had dismissed the clarinets and allowed them to go to lunch. Wendy quickly learned that unlike breakfast, all of the section sat together, meaning that Wendy found herself at a table with Juvia, Chelia, the girl named Milliana and a few other girls from the section.

"You have two cute kitties at home? !" Milliana asked with lights shining in her eyes.

"Um…" Wendy said, flushing horribly. She hadn't expected anybody to be so happy over finding out she owned a cat. "Yeah, a blue one named Happy and a white one named Carla."

"You have to let me see pictures of them! I've never seen a blue cat before!"

She had been so excited that Wendy felt she really had no choice but to show her. Milliana promptly squealed and claimed Wendy her "bestsest friend forever", which inevitably led to an argument with Chelia. In the distance, she could see her new friend Romeo laughing with a group of guys from their section, including Hibiki. It made Wendy swell with happiness to know that she was already making so many friends.

Lunch ended all too quickly, much to Wendy's chagrin. While she managed to catch sight of a few people she knew, her brother never showed up at the dining hall. Her answer of why came in the form of Gray ( and a mandatory gushing Juvia) who told her than the percussion section rarely came to eat with the others and that, with Natsu as section leader this year, they were being worked exceptionally hard. This heartened Wendy and she went into the marching section with high hopes.

Those high hopes were very quickly tested by the hot sun, the disorder of their section and Wendy's general clumsiness. It didn't help that her best friend (who was, of course, stationed next to her for most of the program) was just as klutzy. It was fair to say that the first hour of marching practice was a complete and utter mess. This was finally remedied when Erza stopped by and gave some pointers. Even after she left, her instruction was highly valued and by the end of the fourth hour, they were even starting to add music to their routine.

It was when a bell started ringing in the distance, signaling an end to the marching section, that Wendy felt herself actually breathe. Her feet hurt but she knew she had never felt better. Hibiki seemed to take that approach himself.

"Great work, today, guys," Hibiki said with a flick of his hair. "Remember that we still have sectionals tomorrow morning before we join the other sections-"

"You're done already?" said a cold voice suddenly. Wendy tried to look around for the source of the voice, feeling Chelia tense suddenly from next to her. "That routine was the lowest caliber performance I've seen in a while."

Hibiki's fists clenched as he turned around and Wendy was finally able to get a look at the girl who was speaking. She was a black haired girl with heavily lidded eyes and a look of complete disdain on her face. Wendy could also see into her dark brown eyes and noted what looked to be complete emptiness. As if that wasn't enough of a statement already, she was wearing a fur coat, even in the midst of the summer heat, which only served to heighten what seemed to be her sense of superiority. Wendy didn't like her.

"Minerva, I didn't think you were coming this year," Hibiki said, his own tone becoming highly disdainful.

"My father had a very important business trip that I just couldn't miss," Minerva answered with a twitch of her lips. "I had to juggle my priorities, something you've never had to worry about a day in your life."

"Why are you here?" Hibiki snapped. Wendy thought it strange; for all of Hibiki's womanizing, he was being exceptionally cold towards this girl. "Practice is over for the day."

"I guess it is if you think _that_ performance is good enough," Minerva sneered. "I, for one, believe it to be lackluster and in need of much revision."

"How would Minerva even know? You weren't even here to receive the program!" Juvia said confidently, stepping forward from the crowd.

"I can tell, because I belong to Saber Tooth." There was that name again: Saber Tooth. Now, Wendy was really wondering what it was all about. "Though I suppose I should thank you trash for laying the groundwork, but I can take it from here."

"Unfortunately for you, you don't have the authority. I'm section leader this year and Juvia is runner-up," Hibiki commanded with an aura of complete confidence.

"You? ! If the director named trash like you as section leader, then this program really is going to the dogs."

"Well, thankfully, being section leader isn't all about skill. I'd hardly want to inflict you upon our freshman class this year."

"I'd watch what you say to royalty, Hibiki," Minerva said, her eyes getting dangerously dark. "I'll forgive you for now, Hibiki, and if practice is over then I must go and find Sting." With a whipping of her coat, Minerva finally left the field.

Hibiki turned back to the murmuring section with a dejected sigh. "Don't listen to her. You all did well, so go and get some dinner."

The mere mention of food caused many to move off and pack their instruments away. As Wendy and Chelia began to walk back towards the cabins, Wendy decided to ask the question on her mind. "Who was that?"

"Minerva Orlando," Chelia answered darkly. "Bitch extraordinaire…not that any of us would say it to her face. She'd make your life a living hell. Normally, she's a bass clarinet in concert season, so we get stuck with her in marching season."

"Oh. She didn't seem very nice," Wendy commented.

"Don't sugarcoat it, Wendy. She's horrible." Somehow, the freshman had no problem believing it. "Anyway, just keep your head down around her and you'll be fine. Now, I have to get to dinner with Lamia Scale, so I'll see you later."

Chelia then dashed off, leaving Wendy on her lonely walk to her cabin. The other girls, except for Meredy and Ultear (the black haired girl in their cabin), were already there and changing into casual clothes. Wendy was following suit when she heard a knock on the door and turned to see a brunette dressed in little more than a bikini top and pants.

"Hey, Elfman's having an arm wrestling match with Bacchus," she said as she raised a bottle of what seemed to be beer to her lips. "Anyone wanna take bets?"

"Cana, do you have to drink? We have freshmen here," scolded Lucy. Cana just shrugged and took another swig.

"They'll be fifteen soon, anyway," she answered. "Oh yeah, and Mira said she wanted a meeting of Fairy girls before concert session."

"Tell her we'll be there soon," Erza answered, already dressed for the evening. Cana nodded and somehow managed to lead a procession of all the girls except Wendy out of the cabin.

Wendy, for her part, decided to finish changing and get some dinner in the dining hall before the evening portion of camp began. She felt a little lonely that the girls had just abandoned her like that, but deep inside she hoped that this would be the last time. Hopefully, they would all be in the same guild.

With that positive thought, Wendy bounded off. The sun had grown weaker and the breeze stronger as she ran to the dining hall. Unfortunately, she was so focused on the pleasant change of weather that she failed to perceive the uneven grooves in the ground and promptly tripped. At the same moment, someone rounded the corner she had been approaching. Wendy suddenly slammed into the individual and they both crashed to the ground. "Sorry!"

"It's okay. I was running too fast," the person remarked. Wendy recognized the voice and looked up with mortification to see Romeo there, sprawled on his butt. He also seemed to recognize her, because he grinned and said, "Wendy, right? You're kind of clumsy, aren't you?"

"I'm so sorry!" Wendy repeated, bowing as she stood. Romeo just laughed and waved it off.

"Like I said, it's okay," he assured her. "Where were you going anyway?"

"Dinner." Romeo scratched his head at her answer.

"Well, if you haven't eaten, then why don't we get dinner together? I know this great pizza place just outside camp."

"We can leave camp?" Wendy asked.

"Only for dinner, but, yeah. We just have to be back on time."

"Oh, okay then. Let's go!" Wendy answered with a beaming smile that Romeo returned. He motioned in the direction he had previously been running and allowed Wendy to go ahead of him before quickly falling in step at her side.

"So, you're Natsu's little sister, huh?" Romeo asked as he shoved his hands inside his pockets. "Has he mentioned me before?"

"No, not really," came Wendy's blunt reply. Romeo's shoulders sagged and Wendy quickly realized how insensitive her answer was and sought to remedy it. "But Natsu doesn't really talk about much besides fire, music, Lucy, Fairy Tail and Lucy."

"Ha!" Romeo laughed out. "Well, that's okay. He talks about you a lot, though."

"Good things, I hope," Wendy said. Romeo gave her a smile and a nod of affirmation. "So, you must be one of my brother's admirers."

"I think he's the coolest!" Romeo said, excitement flooding his voice. "I wish I could have gone into drums like him, but I just didn't have the talent for it. I'm not even the best at clarinet, not like you. You must be from a family of musical geniuses."

"No, we've just been fascinated by music for a long time," Wendy admitted coyly. Romeo gave a dismissive laugh as they finally reached a decent sized building. He quickly stepped forward and opened the door, allowing them both in.

The establishment was surprisingly packed with students from the camp, most of them lounging in booths or occupying the tables. This was probably the reason Romeo chose to sit at a barstool which looked uncomfortable but was at least vacant. Wendy slid onto the seat next to him and began swinging her legs back and forth. "Yeah, I'll have the pepperoni with jalapenos slice and…"

"Cheese is fine," Wendy piped up. Romeo nodded to the man who took their order and then he slammed his bills onto the table. Wendy, still noticing the similarity of food choice between Romeo and her brother, reacted too slowly to stop the boy from paying.

"I could have paid for myself," she whined.

"I know," he chuckled. "I just figured it'd be more gentlemanly if I paid and made it some sort of welcoming gist. My dad taught me that…you know, underneath his pervy side." This elicited a giggle from Wendy.

"Well, thank you, then," she said with a smile. Romeo tossed her a thumbs up as their food was delivered to them. In that same moment, the bell over the door jingled, signaling the arrival of new customers. Wendy and Romeo both turned in their seats to see who it was, earning a scoff from Romeo. Entering the pizza place was Minerva, flanked by the smug boys that Wendy had seen that morning.

"Saber Tooth…" growled Romeo.

"What is Saber Tooth?" Wendy asked, her head tilting to the side.

"A guild in the camp. The 'best' guild; at least, according to them," he answered contemptuously.

"I'm guessing you're not in Saber Tooth, then."

"No way! I hate those guys! Fairy Tail's the best!"

"Really? You're in Fairy Tail? !" Wendy asked with glee. Of course, she should have guessed that this was the case with the way Romeo had talked about Natsu. "I really want to be in Fairy Tail myself."

"I'd certainly hope you make Fairy Tail and not scum like Saber Tooth."

"Why do you guys hate Saber Tooth so much?" Wendy inquired, taking a bite of her rather large slice of pizza. "I mean, is there some sort of guild rivalry between the two?"

"No, not really," Romeo said, his face still stretched into a scowl. "At least, there wasn't until Erza's freshman year. That was the same year Minerva came, too. She and Erza never liked each other and in the games that year, Erza beat her fair and square in the Bass Clarinet contest. Minerva wasn't too happy about that and vowed to crush Erza and Fairy Tail."

"But she's just one person. Why would that spark a whole guild rivalry?"

"It didn't until the next year, when Natsu and the others joined. Rumor has it that Mira, that's Mirajane Strauss, composed a beautiful piece for the flute. She gave it to Lucy as their representative for the sectional contest and Lucy nailed it. Minerva overheard her saying that she would use the piece to help Fairy Tail win, so she put oil-based paint in Lucy's flute. Lucy ended up being hospitalized for two days. Yet nobody could prove that Minerva was the one who'd done it. It didn't matter, though. Fairy Tail still won the games."

"That's horrible!" Wendy exclaimed. "I'm surprised Natsu never told me. Then again, he probably didn't want to make our mom worry." Wendy finished her pizza whilst still deep in thought, before a new question struck her. "Wait, if Fairy Tail won, then why would Saber Tooth consider itself the best?"

"Because of last year, said the voice of her brother behind her. Both her and Romeo turned around with a surprised, "Natsu!" The look on his face, however, wasn't one to be trifled with. It made Wendy afraid to ask what had happened last year. "Me, Gray, and Gajeel were disqualified from competing because of some stupid rumors going around about fights we had started. In this case, the rumors were actually untrue. Then, Erza broke her arm at the pool and Laxus got sick."

"With five of our top competitors out of the game, we didn't really stand a chance," Romeo continued. "So, Sting dominated drums, Rogue the sax, Rufus the trumpet, and Orga the baritone. Minerva still lost but it didn't matter because Saber took the cup. After that, Minerva called them the best and Sting got a big-ass ego boost."

"Yeah, he was all right before that win. He admired me almost as much as Romeo does, here." Natsu ruffled the black-haired boy's head whilst Romeo blushed. "Doesn't matter what his ego thinks of him, though. Fairy Tail's going to win this year. Right, Romeo?"

"That's right!" The two quickly fist bumped each other before Natsu walked away with a wave.

"Your brother is so cool!" Wendy shook her head and laughed. However, her eyes were inexorably drawn to the booth in the corner where Saber Tooth was lounging in their smug superiority. She could tell that Minerva had enough of a superiority complex for the whole group, but from both Natsu and Romeo's words, she could see a shade of the kinder side of both Sting and Rogue. Still, staring at them, Wendy was certain of two things: she was absolutely going to be a part of Fairy Tail, and she never _ever_ wanted to mess with Minerva Orlando.

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**Author's Note: Here's the second chapter, developing the plot in big, big ways. I certainly hope you enjoyed. For the record, because this is an alternate version of Fiore, I kept the drinking age in that country, here meaning fifteen. Also, I hope I'm doing Wendy justice. Since I'm a guy I find it harder to write from a female perspective and I hope I'm doing so decently. And damn that new chapter...Wendy's poor hair and those stupid Faces. Anyway, a thanks to those people who reviewed, favorited and followed last time. Here's hoping for double that this time. Let me know what you think in a review and Dare to Be Silly.**

**Reply to Guest: I have written a simple Rowen one shot titled Searing, Soaring, if you'd like to check that out. Other than that I have no further plans for a oneshot in the future.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh, Mashima, no matter how much you want us to like her, Minerva's nothing but a bitch with a daddy complex and an unhealthy obsession for Erza. But that's just my opinion. Oh well, let's begin Chapter 3!**

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Chapter 3

"I'm so excited! Aren't you excited, Wendy?" Meredy was practically screaming in Wendy's ear. Sure, she was excited, but at this rate she was liable to go deaf. She didn't say anything to that effect, though, opting instead for a bright smile. Meredy took that as encouragement to go on. "I wonder what guild we'll be in…I kind of hope we'll be in the same guild."

"Kind of?" Wendy questioned in amusement. Meredy waved the inquiry off with a flick of her hair.

"You know what I mean," she laughed out. "After all, we're woodwind buddies."

"And we're staying in the same cabin."

"That, too," Meredy confirmed with a sanctimonious little nod. "I'm kind of hoping I get into Fairy Tail. Everyone…well, almost everyone, says it's the best. A few years ago there was a guild called Crime Sorciere, but the number of guilds got too large so they split it up into a bunch of the other guilds. If they were still around I'd probably want to be part of them, but Ultear says Fairy Tail is better."

"Then let's hope we're in Fairy Tail!" Wendy exclaimed enthusiastically. Meredy gave her a high five in return; an action which garnered many a confused or disgruntled looks from their fellow freshmen.

Upon the conclusion of their hand-to-hand contact, a bell started ringing. Wendy pulled her eyes toward the mass of students pouring onto the fields. She briefly caught sight of Natsu having a tussle with Gray while Lucy attempted to pull them apart. Romeo seemed to be trailing after them with a look that suggested shame and hilarity. The whole thing made Wendy smile, if it were possible, even wider. She had had quite the enjoyable dinner with Romeo before they went back to the camp and was now eagerly looking forward to the evening events.

The mass of students began to split, eventually becoming six rather large groups that were spaced evenly across the field. For the first time, Wendy noticed the signs behind each of the groups that carried a symbol, obviously indicative of the guild standing before it. She also saw some older people standing before each guild, no doubt being the band teachers that she had yet to meet. A loud clomping was suddenly heard and everyone looked to see Director Makarov ascending the scaffold once again.

"All right, how was your first day, brats?" A mixture of answers ascended from the crowd until Makarov suddenly yelled, "I didn't want you to answer!" Everyone shut up to that as the director cleared his throat.

"It's that time again: guild placement," he called out. "Freshmen, I'm going to call your names in alphabetical order as well as the guild you've been placed in. There are only six guilds you may become a part of: Mermaid Heel, Quattro Cerberus, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, Saber Tooth, and Fairy Tail. I want no complaining on where you've been placed, you got that? All you brats better give our freshmen a warm welcome, too! So let's begin. Meredy Amory, Fairy Tail!"

A great cry went up from the Fairy Tail guild section at this announcement. Meredy gave Wendy a smile and a wave and skipped off toward the guild section. Makarov continued on despite the raucous cheers. The group of freshmen began whittling down and each guild had their own reaction. Mermaid Heel would clap politely; Quattro Cerberus would give a cry of "Wild! Fwooh!"; Blue Pegasus would instantly be hitting on any girls and making strange poses; Lamia Scale would cheer in a dignified manner; Saber Tooth would give almost no reaction at all, and Fairy Tail would cheer in the most obnoxious way possible. Finally, the director seemed to reach the Ms and Wendy was bouncing up and down.

"Wendy Marvell-Dragneel…" her name was finally called and she felt her breath stop. That nanosecond felt like an eternity. "…Fairy Tail!"

If their cheers had been loud before, then the one that Fairy Tail gave off now was simply deafening, if not earth-splintering. It dwarfed the sound of Makarov and anything else. The people of Lamia Scale seemed to laugh at the reaction; Wendy briefly catching Chelia's beaming face as she ran to her new guild, her clarinet case alongside her. She also caught sight of Saber Tooth, all of whom were staring with haughty derision.

"Hell yeah, we got Wendy!" Natsu cheered loudly as his and Lucy's arms fell upon the young girl. Erza was nodding approvingly while Gray threw his arms into the air in triumph. Gajeel gave a great "Gee hee" as he flung his arm around Levy, who blushed. There were even some members that Wendy had never seen before smiling adoringly. All in all, a great feeling of euphoria rushed through the girl, especially as Meredy approached her and the two hugged gleefully.

"I told you that you'd be great," called Romeo, who had his thumbs up., "Now you're in the greatest guild in the world!" Wendy felt a tear of joy slip out of her eye as her guild mates quieted down enough for Makarov to continue. It wasn't long before he had run through the list and began to make final announcements.

"Now that you're all settled into your guilds, I'll turn it over to the teachers who'll be instructing you in the days ahead. I look forward to seeing you all for marching tomorrow morning." That being said, Makarov descended once again. Around her, Fairy Tail was finally quieting down, each of them looking to the older man that was standing at the front of the crowd. He had red hair and what looked to be a perpetual five o'clock shadow as he smiled at them. He was also holding a clipboard, though the way he held it suggested that he didn't care for its contents.

"All right, guys, settle down," he said calmly. He seemed to command enough attention that even troublemakers like Natsu shut up. Wendy focused on the man and his words. "Freshmen, my name is Gildarts Clive, but you can all call me Gildarts. We're pretty informal in Fairy Tail, of which I'm the teacher, and the father of the absolutely adorable Cana!" The look on his face changed suddenly to the point that the mushiness of it creeped out even Wendy.

"Don't drag me into your introduction, old man," Cana called out testily. Gildarts' expression didn't change, but he at least started getting back down to business.

"As the teacher in charge of Fairy Tail, I believe in autonomy," Gildarts said. "You can only grow as a musician if you are given the freedom to do so. You can't be restricted by being told what music to study or how or when. That's why I'm allowing you kids to lead each other. After all, what good is winning the Grand Music Games if I tell you everything? So, all of you work together to make Fairy Tail the greatest, but just know that I'll be here to lend a helping hand or ear."

Gildarts scratched his chin at this point while everyone else continued to stare at him in rapt attention. "Oh, right, I forgot to give you the game schedule. There'll be four days of the games: sectionals, where you'll compete in ten sections and can earn a total of fifty points; small band, experimental and then ensemble. There'll be a day break before the marching section after which the guild with the most points will be the winner. In total, you can earn up to eighty points. But I'm not going to tell you how to play the game. You guys can decide that amongst yourselves. Laxus, I think you're in charge this year, right?"

Then, true to his word, Gildarts left them with a smile. He was the only one to do so. All of the other teachers remained with their guilds as they all began moving off the field. Meanwhile, the blonde-haired boy that Wendy had met that morning took Gildarts' place. In a voice like booming thunder, he suddenly shouted, "Let's head to the guild hall, folks."

Wendy felt herself suddenly being swept away by the tide of Fairy Tail students trailing after Laxus. She had no idea what this "guild hall" they were heading to was, but being surrounded by her energetic and gossiping group of new friends, she was all too eager to find out. In mere moments, it came into view. Wendy could only describe it as the largest cabin she'd ever seen on the properties. That's all it really was: a two floor cabin with what seemed to be ample floor space. This very notion proved to be correct. The floor inside the cabin was wide and sprawling and filled to the brim with chairs and music stands and all manner of percussion equipment in the back.

"Your names are on your seats, so find them," Laxus ordered gruffly. Wendy, knowing that the clarinets would be up front, began searching the front row. She quickly found herself in that row as 3rd Chair. She smiled and immediately sat upon it, opening her clarinet case up once again. "From now on, here's where we meet after dinner, and I don't want anybody to be late."

"What about-"

"Pack a snack and suck it up, Nab," Laxus warned. "So, obviously we're all here to practice but first we have to get an idea of what we sound like as a band. Then, over the next few days we'll pick who performs in the games. Don't think that takes you off the hook, freshmen: we always have a few of you compete, so no slacking."

"Let's get onto the part where we rehearse already!" Natsu yelled from the back. This caused Laxus to smirk.

"All right, Flame Boy, you can count us off then," Laxus said. "We'll use the marching music as a template for now. You _should_ have it memorized." Having said what he wanted to say, Laxus retreated to the back and set himself up at a group of cymbals. Wendy took a brief glance back and saw Natsu raise his drumsticks into the air. Before he said anything, though, Wendy turned back to the front.

"Okay, everyone…one, two, one, two, three, four!" Natsu's drumstick hit his drum and everyone in the guild followed in suit. Of course, what followed was an absolute train wreck, a travesty, or as Laxus so helpfully described it: the sound a monkey would make if it were trying to pass a kidney stone whilst being strangled to death. Wendy couldn't help but agree.

"Gray, don't try to move ahead of the tempo, even if Natsu's the one providing it," Laxus instructed. "Lisanna, since when did blowing into a mouthpiece mean playing Tuba. Jellal, stop making googly eyes at Erza and maybe you'd be better at the baritone; same for you and Evergreen, Elfman."

"What are you implying, Laxus? !" yelled a girl from the back. Laxus ignored her.

"Mira, babe, I know you flutes are better than that. Also, Clarinets, a few of you were off key, so tune up and then let's try again."

"Don't be so patronizing, Laxus," said a white-haired senior from the flutes section. Wendy had, naturally, never seen her before, but judging from the context of the conversation, she could only guess that this girl was Mirajane, the last of the three drum majors alongside Erza and Laxus.

"I'm just telling the truth. Now, let's step it up! Or do you guys want to lose to Saber Tooth again this year?" The question had a sudden and profound effect on the guild members. Some grumbled under their breath, others narrowed their eyes, but most of them sat up straight with determination etched onto their faces. "Let's show them they don't mess with or humiliate Fairy Tail!"

"Yeah! Now I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled. "So, let's take it from the top!" This time, instead of calling out the beats, her brother beat them out on his drum, the final beat blending seamlessly into the band's first note.

This time sounded much better, or at least Wendy felt so. She could tell the distortion from not being tuned properly was gone from her section and they were keeping the rhythm well. There was even an instant when the band swelled to a fortissimo that the unity of the instruments sounded almost angelic. It was strange, in Wendy's mind, that a band including a bunch of freshmen could perform so well on the first day. Maybe that was just the fast pace of Magnolia's Music Program, but Wendy personally thought it was enhanced by the guild mates around here. It had barely been an hour and she already felt at home.

"That was passable," Laxus announced when they were done, "but we can't leave it at just passable. We have to work as a cohesive unit that doesn't make the slightest misstep. If one of our guild mates stumbles over a rhythm we all have to make the same conscious decision to either correct their course or match them. That synergy is what it means to be a part of Fairy Tail.

"You know, the program's founder, Mavis Vermillion, once stated that she created the guild system not as a means of fostering conflict but to encourage the bonds amongst its members. She said when the guilds fully appreciated that it would be the day that her goal was finally complete. So, we need to show her and all the other guilds that this is the ultimate form she wanted. It's not about skill, but about working together. We go again, from the top."

And they did. Over and over they ran over their music, sometimes stopping to fix a few parts, sometimes running straight through. Every time there was something to fix, but there was no grumbling. It was only when the sun had vanished from the sky and Wendy was beginning to feel her lips chapping that Laxus finally called an end to practice.

"We're getting there," he commended. "A few more practices and I think we'll be ready for the ensemble part of the competition. Now, we'll be doing sectionals tomorrow so we can pick players for that portion of the games. Until then, well, I'll see you on the field tomorrow." As if punctuating the end of his statement, Laxus raised his fist into the air, his thumb and index finger sticking out at a perpendicular angle to one another. Around her, the other members of the guild did the same thing except for the freshmen.

Wendy suddenly felt hot breath on her ear and hear Romeo whisper to her, "It's the guild's sign. It means we'll always look after one another." Hearing that, Wendy grinned a manic grin and stretched her own hand into the air. The other freshmen soon took after her example. They all slowly lowered their hands and then one by one began to break apart. To Wendy's surprise, she found most of the other girls from her cabin waiting for her at the front of the guild hall.

"You're in Fairy Tail now, Wendy," Lucy said to her. "We all head back together." Wendy only continued to smile as she walked back with them and listened to the swirling gossip.

"Jellal couldn't take his eyes off you, Erza," teased Lucy and levy. Erza blushed fiercely.

"I-I c-c-couldn't understand why. H-he's just a childhood friend," Erza protested. "Besides, what about Natsu and Gajeel?"

"Those two lunkheads?" Levy said angrily. "They wouldn't know romance even if they read a book about it."

"That's assuming we could even get them to read a book," Lucy complained. "I once gave Natsu copies of some of the most popular books in the world and he just complained about how there were no pictures. I swear that boy can be insufferable."

"That's my brother," Wendy piped in, surprised at her own sudden comfort level. "Whenever mom wants him to do something, she draws pictures by it because otherwise he'll claim ignorance." Lucy shook her head in complete disbelief.

"Speaking of Dragneels," she said once she had finished shaking her head, "It seems our Romeo's taken an interest in you." Wendy flushed. Why was everyone teasing her about this? She had just met the boy and hardly knew anything about him beyond his name, instrument and obvious adoration of her brother. Lucy appeared to have taken notice of this. "Well, I'm sure it's mostly because you're Natsu's sister, so don't worry about it."

"Yes, Romeo does seem to follow Natsu around like a lost puppy," Erza commented. Wendy hung her head. She was grateful that the older girls decided to not follow the same train of thought that Chelia had, but somehow their collective comments still stung. Did that mean that Romeo only spoke with her because of who her brother was? If that were the case, it would feel like she was just being used and that wasn't something that Wendy wanted. Not from the boy who had encouraged her that morning.

"You know what interests me more," Levy began saying as the girls' cabin finally came into view, "is when the heck did Mira and Laxus become an item?"

"I know, right!" Lucy exclaimed. "Since when did he call her 'babe'? Or do you think it was a slip up?"

"Hasn't Laxus called any number of girls 'babe' before?" Erza asked as the four stepped into the cabin. The other girls were already there, each one of them preparing for bed.

"During his rebellious phase, sure. But last year he got a lot better," Levy said, folding her arms. "I don't know, I think they must be having some sort of secret relationship like you find in those romance novels!"

"You read too much, Levy. It's completely p-preposterous to hide a secret relationship in Fairy Tail," Erza denied. She had reached her bed now and grabbed her pajamas. "If you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for the evening."

Wendy and the other girls watched her go with quirked eyebrows, each of them sharing a look that conveyed the fact they all thought Erza was hiding something. The fourteen year old bluenette quickly cast it aside, though, and began making her own preparations for the night. When she had gotten out of the shower, she saw some of the girls playing cards while Meredy was hanging off the top bunk, ready to start a conversation with both her and Juvia.

It was only when Erza began to yawn that they all decided to go to sleep. Wendy climbed under her covers and drifted off quickly, the giddy smile still on her face.

* * *

The next morning was easier than the previous. This time, Wendy found herself getting up alongside her guild mates. While Erza was the first out of the door this time, Wendy was quick to follow, her feet beating the now familiar path to the dining hall. The hall was mostly empty allowing Wendy to grab her food quickly and find a nice table to sit at. Erza wasn't there so she just chose the easiest table.

Unfortunately, her choice of table came with a downside: a direct view of Saber Tooth's table, all of whom were already seated and eating with Minerva in the center. The girl's eyes were scanning the area as if she were a princess looking down at her subjects. The thought of it made Wendy shudder, but she paid it no mind because Lucy soon joined her at the table and drove the ruminations about Minerva straight from her head.

It was too bad that it couldn't last.

Right after she finished breakfast, Wendy headed straight for the clarinet's section. The sun was now shining upon the expanse of field making the air even hotter than it was yesterday. By Wendy's approximation, it had to be in at least the mid-nineties. As she set her clarinet up, she took a longing glance at her water bottles, hoping they would last her to lunch when she could replace them. An approaching sigh indicated Chelia's arrival and as she looked up, Wendy could see Romeo also approaching with her.

Remembering her guild mates' words from last night, Wendy frowned for a moment upon seeing the male clarinetist, but quickly attempted to pass it off as an effect of the heat. Romeo smiled at her, but Wendy ignored it, because she could see that Romeo and Chelia weren't the only ones to have arrived.

"What are you standing around for, trash?" called the cruel voice that could only have issued from Minerva's mouth. "Get yourself in line before I avail myself of more forceful methods to do so."

"But Hibiki's not here," said one of the freshmen girls standing idly by. Wendy flinched simultaneously with both Romeo and Chelia. She had never experienced Minerva firsthand, but she could already tell that wasn't something you'd say to the girl.

Minerva smiled a cold, vacant smile as she approached the girl. She put a hand to her face, almost as though she were about to caress it before pulling hard on the girl's cheeks. "Did I ask you to speak?"

"Stop it, Minerva!" called Juvia. Minerva turned to look at her coldly. "You're not in charge here."

"I might as well be."

"But you're not," Hibiki asserted, having finally (and thankfully) arrived on the field. "Now stop pretending you're in charge and-"

"'Pretending'? The only one pretending is you, Lates," Minerva said with a simpering laugh. "I don't know who you're fooling into thinking you're actually a decent player, but it's not me. You're not even fit to clean my instrument, much less lead this section."

"How many times do I have to tell you it doesn't matter what you think?" Hibiki said, pure rage starting to manifest in his eyes. It was still a strange sight to see him so cold towards a member of the opposite sex. "Now get in line with the others. I won't ask a second time."

"Fine," Minerva conceded, still wearing that awful smile, "but don't ever think of ordering me around again or you'll see your placement in this program gone in a flash." Her threat made, she finally slunk away from the two section leaders to a still-prominent place in the line.

Hibiki rolled his eyes with a sigh before calling the clarinets to order. The hour-long practice that followed was nothing like Wendy could have planned. In fact, it was nothing like yesterday's practice. She could only call the practice one word: horrible. Ironically, that was the same word she'd use to describe Minerva Orlando. The girl didn't know when to quit or when to stop saying horrible things.

"Completely off-rhythm. How did a train wreck like you even get in? Where did you buy your instrument, a garage sale? Or is it just you that sucks?" There were all pretty common insults for just about everyone, even some members that Wendy noted were part of Saber Tooth. Hibiki tried to stop it, but it was continually obvious that Minerva could care less about what the Blue Pegasus clarinetist said.

All in all, by the time their hour was up, they'd hardly done any practice, or had any water and all their ears were buzzing with Minerva's torrent of criticism. It was exceptionally obvious as they joined the other sections on the field. Each one of them looked completely overjoyed while the clarinets slogged in. Of course, Minerva couldn't even leave that alone.

"Will you stand up straight and hurry up?" she barked. "Don't you dare embarrass me or _my_ section." That had obviously been for Hibiki's sake. Wendy felt no need or want to challenge her and quickly took her place in the marching setup as Director Makarov stood before the entire student body.

"I hope you've all practiced well," he spoke loudly, finally quelling Minerva's tirade. "From here on, you're spending the rest of the day working on the marching routine. I'll be supervising, but for now I'll leave it up to this year's drum majors: Laxus Dreyar, Mirajane Strauss, and Erza Scarlet."

Sure enough, the three seniors now ascending the scaffolds across the field were the very same Fairy Tail members. Mirajane seemed to be at the center and in her calm but firm voice she managed to get the band to settle down. Wendy breathed a sigh of relief that at least Mirajane was a far kinder leader than someone like Minerva. It gave Wendy (and she guessed Chelia and the other clarinets, too) a sense of relief for the day.

Yet not even Mirajane's kindness was without the scourge of Minerva's cruelty. If anything, the girl's malice towards her section was almost doubled. Despite Hibiki's insistence, though more likely because of it, Minerva would often take command with a sneer. If the drum majors gave the band a break, Minerva would outright make the clarinets hang back to go over music. There were those few who defied her, but the next time Wendy saw them…well, she wouldn't deny there was an unpleasant smell hanging around their pants.

It came to the point that when the bell rang for lunch, Wendy was completely dehydrated and could have sworn she saw a dragon in the sky when all it turned out to be was a cloud. Then the unthinkable happened.

"If any one of you takes a step towards that dining hall," Minerva announced as the clarinets tried to flee towards their water bottles, "I will make sure to find a way to get you out of this program by tomorrow morning. I want you to run through the routine again until I'm satisfied."

Wendy began to shake with hunger, exhaustion, but also the very same emotion radiating from every other section member: rage. She couldn't believe this was happening and Chelia looked just as indignant; still, neither said anything. How could they with the threat looming over their heads? Wendy couldn't prove the validity of it, but she wasn't about to take chances. Even Hibiki was cowed, and if he was in fear of the black-haired, black-hearted girl, then the rest of them had that fear tripled.

"Minerva, let them go," Hibiki demanded.

"Not until _I'm_ satisfied," Minerva said. "You may be pleased, but I'm far from it."

"Please, you're just pissed that you didn't make drum major."

_SMACK!_ Hibiki recoiled backwards as Minerva's long nails scraped across his cheek. The force of the slap had been so large that blood was trickling from the scratch. Wendy's eyes widened and even Chelia seemed surprised at the depths of the girl's brutality. Minerva turned away from the section leader, her lips this and her eyes wild. "Get going on that routine!"

They didn't argue until there were fifteen minutes left in the lunch hour when Minerva finally released them. In the instant that followed Wendy began downing her water bottles, feeling like a camel the entire time.

"This is awful!" Chelia said in between gulps of her own water. "This is _not_ love! This is horror. She was never this bad, and why the hell isn't anyone stopping her?" Chelia also threw in a few more vulgar words, but Wendy didn't say a thing. Rather, she couldn't on account of her throat being too dry.

Instead, she focused on grabbing at least _something_ to eat. There wasn't much time and she needed something, settling for a cheese roll (the same thing as Chelia) as they turned right around to head back out to the field. They didn't even have time to refill their water bottles.

"So, who else is hoping Minerva will shrivel up and die in this heat?" said Romeo as he suddenly appeared next to her. Chelia laughed.

"I think we'd be more likely to croak first. Besides, that girl would keep on living as a shriveled-up maid out of spite."

"That's true. Well, back to marching. Good luck." Romeo then moved ahead. Wendy shook her head, wondering how he could still muster up so much energy. She then slapped her cheeks and began to get back into position to start all over again.

They ran the routine once…twice…three times. Now Wendy's legs were beginning to feel like lead, and her ears had this perennial buzzing sound in them. Her breathing was coming in gasps and it was only when she heard Chelia cry her name that Wendy realized something was wrong. Of course, she was too late in stopping herself from falling and hitting the grass with a small thud and a couple of surprised gasps. She felt soft hands on her arms, pulling her up.

"What's the hold up?" called Minerva as she approached Wendy. Wendy tried to stand but was barely able to hold onto Chelia, who was supporting her. She could feel eyes on her and tried to shrink down; she didn't want to cause a scene. "Why are you disgracing this section?"

"I-I'm…" Wendy choked out. She was so thirsty.

"Can't you see she's thirsty and exhausted? ! We all are!" Chelia cried, but Minerva ignored her like she did everyone else. Brushing Chelia aside, Minerva grabbed hold of Wendy roughly and threw her to her feet.

"Get up and keep moving, Fairy Tail trash!"

"Juvia says enough, Minerva!" Juvia called, leaping to Wendy's defense. "Do not insult Fairy Tail." Minerva let go of Wendy and prepared to slap Juvia until her arm was caught by Hibiki.

"This is starting to go too far. Wendy needs to go to the nurse," Hibiki said calmly.

"I won't allow it."

"I don't care. Chelia, take Wendy to the nurse now!" Chelia nodded and grabbed Wendy once more. As the bluenette began walking away from the field, she heard Hibiki continuing the argument. "This is not your section, so stop acting like it is!"

"Then kiss your musical career goodbye."

Their voices then quickly faded out of earshot as the two friends continued on their way to the nurse's office. Chelia, thankfully, had the brains to stay quiet on the walk there. Wendy felt great relief as she entered the air-conditioned building. As soon as the door closed, different sounds were heard.

"What are you doing here? ! I hate humans! Wendy? !" the older female voice said. Wendy looked up at her name and focused on the person in front of her.

"Auntie Porlyusica? What are you doing here?" she managed to croak out.

"Favor for Makarov," the older woman answered. "Other than the fact that you look like death warmed over, why are you here?"

"I think she's dehydrated, ma'am," Chelia answered. Wendy felt herself being put in a chair and a glass of water shoved in her hand. She eagerly drank it, the room starting to come into form.

"I can tell that, girlie. So, before you leave, tell me why?" Porlyusica demanded. Wendy, now able to see clearly, turned her gaze onto her aunt. Porlyusica Redfox (her maiden name, considering she had never married) was an older woman with a number of wrinkles that belied her status as the eldest of the Redfox siblings: herself, Metallicana, and Grandine. To this extent, despite her innate hatred of humans she held a soft spot for her niece, but not so much for her nephews. It was also said she had an enigmatic relationship with Makarov.

"It was Minerva," Chelia finally answered and Wendy felt her fists tightening. "She wouldn't let us break for water or food and she all but threatened us. If Wendy hadn't fainted then someone else might've."

"Hmph, doesn't Makarov pay any attention?"

"Will Wendy be okay?"

"So long as she drinks up and gets some food."

"I'm sorry," Wendy said, her hands now clutching at the fabric of her shorts. "I didn't want to inconvenience anyone."

"You didn't," Chelia assured her. "Besides, it's Minerva's fault. I wish there was someway to kick her out."

"I don't," Wendy said softly, earning a confused glance from her best friend. "She insulted Fairy Tail and ridiculed me just because of that. That's something I won't allow. I won't whine, and I won't cry. I'm going to practice real hard and perform in the sectionals for my guild. I'll beat Saber Tooth head on and then Minerva can't say a word."

Chelia stared at Wendy, absolutely dumbfounded, before asking, "Are you sure?"

Wendy gave her signature fanged smile and replied with an emphatic, "Yeah! I'm all fired up!"

* * *

**Author's Note: I originally finished this chapter the day before the new Fairy Tail chapter came out. Seeing Wendy's resolve, I had to add her lines in this chapter since she was upping her resolve in my chapter too. Still not sure how I feel about her new hair but she certainly looks badass and maybe we won't have those cat-eared twintails (I seriously hated Mashima's fetish for cat ears lately). Though, there's no proof that it won't grow back after this arc. Anyway, a few notes on my chapter: I put Meredy in Fairy Tail because it made more sense, same with the other members of Crime Sorciere. On a side note, I received a great review asking for more Nalu. Well, I'm a believer of taking things at a slow pace and let's not forget this story is exclusively from Wendy's point of view. Either way, you'll certainly see some stuff soon. I also may be taking a week off to finish the next chapter for my other story, but if I work hard enough, you may see chapter 4 next week. Until then, please drop me a review and, as always, Dare to Be Silly.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Jiemma, you officially win Worst Father of the Year Award. Mard Geer, you officially win Most Nonchalant Villain of Fairy Tail Badassery Award. Chapter 4…you just win the opportunity to be up right now.**

* * *

Chapter 4

"She did what now? !"

Wendy's head turned at the sound of Lucy's screech. Hers wasn't the only one; the blonde haired flutist was attracting a lot of looks. Lucy seemed to realize this because her continued conversation with Juvia was indiscernible to the fourteen year old and those around her. Wendy frowned as she took her tray back from the dining hall lady. She had spent the remaining hour of practice getting suitably hydrated whilst speaking with her aunt (who refused to let her go back out) and Chelia (she had only stepped out to grab their cases). Porlyusica only let them go when the bell for dinner rang.

She had chosen to get dinner in the dining hall that evening, but judging from Lucy's sudden outburst, Wendy was starting to regret her decision. Still, she made her way to the table where her two fellow guild mates were now conversing quietly. Of course, all semblance of speech was cut off as Wendy sat down. This made her frown deeper as she took a bite of her hamburger.

"How are you feeling, Wendy?" Lucy asked concernedly. "Juvia told me what happened." So that's what the scream had been about earlier.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking, Lucy," Wendy said, tacking a smile on at the end. Lucy seemed to give a sigh of relief.

"How's Hibiki taking it?" she suddenly asked Juvia.

"Not well, but Juvia thinks that's mostly because he has to tell everyone he was hit by a girl," the bluenette answered with a bite of her sandwich. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Yep, that's Hibiki."

"What about that womanizing pervert?" Natsu asked, appearing behind Lucy and putting a hand on her shoulder. The blonde jumped, but quickly recovered and swat Natsu's hand away.

"Apparently he was slapped by Minerva," Lucy told him as Natsu took a relaxing seat next to the girl.

"Wow…usually I'd blame Hibiki, but since it was Minerva…" Natsu let out a low whistle while he reached over and grabbed half of Lucy's sandwich. She glared at him but allowed him to eat it anyway. "So, Juvia, what happened out there today? The whole practice got held up by you guys but none of the drum majors could tell what had happened."

Wendy paused in her food consumption to watch Juvia and Lucy share a meaningful glance. Both of them looked uneasy and almost unwilling to tell Natsu what had happened. It was no surprise. Natsu's hair trigger temper was legendary to anyone who knew him and telling him that both his guild and his sister were insulted was not good for the health of anyone in the room. Unfortunately, Natsu seemed more perceptive than usual as he caught onto their looks.

"Come on, guys, what was it?" He had finished Lucy's sandwich now and was staring intently at the three of them.

"It's nothing," Wendy said, attempting to keep her voice steady. She wasn't a very good liar, and it was even harder to lie to her brother. True to form, Natsu caught on almost immediately.

"Wendy," he growled out, "what happened?" She steadfastly refused to answer him, turning to her food again. She wouldn't give in to Natsu's stare. He didn't need to know. That didn't stop Lucy from thinking he needed to.

"It was just Minerva being Minerva," Lucy attempted to dismiss. However, when Natsu rounded his gaze on her, she immediately cracked under it. "She was depriving the clarinets of any water or food breaks and one of them collapsed under the strain."

"Lucy! We agreed not to say anything!" Juvia cried. Lucy cringed apologetically as Natsu's glare darkened.

"Who was it? Who collapsed?"

"Natsu, it's not-"

"Was it Wendy?" The fact that no one answered seemed to be proof enough for her older brother. He stood instantly and his chair fell to the floor. Once again, their table was the sight of many stares as Natsu looked ready to spit fire. Lucy stood only seconds after and latched her arms around his midsection before he could take off. "Let go of me, Luce! I'm going to kill her!"

"Stop it, Natsu! Wendy's fine and you can't get into a fight with them this year. We need you for the games," Lucy said, but Natsu hardly seemed to care and easily ripped himself away from the girl's hold.

"She insulted and hurt my sister! I won't let that go!" Natsu surged forward, only to run into Erza's fist. He recoiled and Gray came up behind him to put him in a choke hold. "Get off me, you stupid stripper!"

"Who's the stupid one?" Gray said, loosening his grip only a little. "You were about to do something that could get you kicked out of the program. How do you think that would help Wendy, you pyro?"

"Gray's right, Natsu," Erza said. "Minerva and Saber Tooth may need a reality check, but putting a fist in their face won't help things…or did you forget last year's week long suspension?" Natsu's frame relaxed at the mention of this. "We'll get revenge for Wendy, but we'll do it legitimately."

"Stop it!" The five people around the table heeded the words instantly and turned to look at Wendy. She had slammed her fists on the table as she yelled, an action which called immediate attention to her. "I don't need you guys to always look after me. I can take care of myself, too. I can handle my problems on my own!"

The five older students stared at Wendy, positively dumbstruck. It was likely they hadn't expected her to have such an outburst, but she couldn't take them treating her like a delicate porcelain doll anymore. Without sparing them a further moment, Wendy finished her burger, picked up her tray and walked away. She was still seething by the time she had dropped off her tray and exited the dining hall. It wasn't like her to snap like that, but she wasn't a little kid. She was a member of Fairy Tail!

"Wendy!" called a voice. Wendy looked to see who had called her and saw Romeo approaching. It didn't improve her mood. "I was looking for you. Are you feeling better?"

"Why?" she snapped, ignoring his question. The harshness of her tone surprised her and it surprised Romeo as well because he took a step back. "Did you just want to talk about my brother?"

"Uh, what are you talking about?" Romeo asked, his hand scratching the back of his head.

"Aren't you only talking to me because I'm Natsu's sister?" She didn't know where this anger was coming from, but the heat and the pent up feelings of rage towards Minerva were now jettisoning everywhere. Romeo appeared to understand this because he quietly reached out and took Wendy's hands in his own.

"No," he answered. "I'm talking to you because you're you. Yeah, it's a cool perk that you're Natsu's sister, but I didn't know that when I spoke to you yesterday."

"Oh….w-well, that's okay, then," Wendy stuttered out. Romeo smiled at her and removed his hands. "A-and I'm feeling much better. Thanks for asking."

"Awesome. I was worried about you." Wendy could barely fight the rushing heat to her face as Romeo passed her to travel towards the dining hall. "I'll see you at sectionals."

"Y-yeah…" Wendy said and she was left alone. Taking a deep breath, Wendy composed herself and continued walking the path to her cabin. There was no one in there, so Wendy chose to take a quick shower and change. As she finished changing she looked at herself in the mirror. Maybe everyone wanted to protect her because she looked so young. _Maybe I should cut my hair_, Wendy joked with herself. She shook that thought away with a laugh and left the cabin soon after.

She was by no means the first one to have arrived at the guild hall. In fact, the first one to greet her as she arrived was her very own brother. His eyes were downcast and all the earlier rage seemed to have dissipated from him. Upon further inspection, Wendy could also see that he looked apologetic.

"Hey, I'm sorry for earlier," Natsu said to her, proving her theory. "I know you can take care of yourself, it's just…you're my sis and I love you. I don't like seeing you hurt."  
"I know that, Natsu," Wendy assured him with a smile. "I just don't want to be babied all the time."

"Okay, I'll try my best not to. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course." She then moved and wrapped her arms around her brother who hugged her back tightly. They smiled at each other before splitting apart, with Wendy moving to the clarinets and Juvia, who also tried to apologize to her. Wendy passed it off and then waited for the sectional session to start.

"Okay, Fairy Tail clarinets, I'm sure you know that Juvia is Juvia," the older bluenette announced once all the clarinets were settled in. Unlike yesterday, they weren't sitting in their assigned seats but were spread pell-mell about their section on the first floor of the guild hall. "Juvia will be your section leader this year. Today we will spend two hours practicing our section teamwork and then go one-by-one to see our individual members' skills."

Wendy listened raptly, nodding every once in a while. Once Juvia was done talking, the clarinets immediately picked up their instruments and began their practice. The beginning of practice was simply a rehash of their marching music. Unlike that morning's practice, however, they were actually able to get something done. Juvia proved to be a much more capable leader than Minerva, kindly pointing out the various mistakes that were being made, and giving praise where praise was due. After she felt it was sufficient, she handed them a new piece of music and told them it was their ensemble piece for the fourth day of the competition.

At first look, the sheet music looked complicated, but after staring at it and fingering it out on her clarinet for a few minutes, she was able to quickly get the pattern down. She couldn't say the same for the rest of her section. Then again, when Juvia started them off, even Wendy found herself having trouble at keeping pace. It took the time change to throw her off and once she did, she realized that everyone but Juvia and the second chair, a senior named Laki Olietta, had faltered well before then. Juvia was able to quickly realize this and turned around to helpfully instruct them.

"Wendy, the change comes after this string of eighth notes but just remember that because it switchesd to quarter notes you only need to think punctual. It's like a sharp jab…like how Gray-sama had pierced Juvia's heart." Despite the creepy analogy, Wendy understood hat the older girl was telling her. The advice worked too, and by the time she had finished instructing the seconds and thirds, Wendy was certain she could work her way through it.

She did and their ensemble practice ended with Wendy being able to easily manage the time signature. There were still plenty of other problems, but the biggest obstacle to overcoming the piece was done. Juvia then passed out another piece of music.

"These are all the same no matter what level you are. Clarinets are not obligated to use this piece if they are chosen for sectionals, but it serves as a baseline." She then gave them five minutes to try and practice the one sheet piece. Having grown up alongside Natsu, however, Wendy was all too used to learning one page sheet music instantly. Across from her, Romeo was having more difficulty with his face scrunched in confusion. Wendy giggled at the look. He seemed to hear it and sent her a small grin before they each returned to their music.

When the five minutes were up, Juvia began moving through the section while the other members listened quietly. She had started with the Thirds too, so they wouldn't feel pressured. This just ended in more pressure for Wendy as it approached her turn. Her nerves reached breaking point as the Fourth Chair finished playing and Wendy took a deep breath to steady herself. Then she caught sight of Romeo's confident smile and Juvia's expectant one. All the tension left her and confidence returned. She started to play and everything else around her fell away. There was no guild hall or other musicians, or even Romeo or Juvia. It was just her and the music, and when the last note finally faded she felt fulfilled.

Laki played after her, but Wendy could almost see that the older girl's heart wasn't in it. In fact, it almost seemed that she didn't _want_ to perform well. It was only when they had ended their practice and were leaving the guild hall that Wendy began to understand why.

"You were amazing, Wendy!" Laki praised.

"Am I glad I didn't go after you!"

"Why am I not surprised?" That last comment had come from Romeo. Wendy laughed at that. "Not that I ever stood a chance, but you floored me. I'm not surprised you're good…but that good?"

"Thanks." There was nothing else she could really say. Romeo quickly gave her a high five and then went to meet up with Natsu. Wendy continued to smile as she joined up with the other girls.

It only took one thought to sustain her: if they really thought she was that good, then maybe she could beat Saber Tooth after all.

* * *

"Water satchels?"

"Check. Granola bars?"

"Crappy ones from the vending machine, but check."

"Hey, I'm the one who paid for those Chelia. Don't knock it."

"That's because you're cheap, Romeo. I'd hate to see what you'd be like if you ever got a girlfriend." At this, Chelia tossed a suggestive look Wendy's way and she rolled her eyes. Next to her, Romeo huffed loudly.

"Excuse me for being short on cash," Romeo said sarcastically. "It's not like I had some hyper pinkette approach me and appropriate my money. I only got enough for two weeks."

"Don't make excuses. This is for survival!" Chelia countered. She took a beat before saying (with both Romeo and Wendy moving their mouths alongside her), "And for love!"

"Can we finish this up?" Wendy asked. "I'm sure Minerva will be here soon."

"Good point," Chelia said. "So, now we can keep our water by us and we have food in case Minerva decides to pull a repeat."

"Right. We won't give in!" Romeo proclaimed emphatically. He stretched his hand out and both Wendy and Chelia joined in. "Fairies and Lamias unite! We won't be eaten by the Tiger!"

"That's super corny, Romeo," Wendy commented. Romeo flushed in embarrassment.

"Let's see you do something better," Romeo said, but Wendy couldn't find a response. Romeo smirked and the three clarinets separated their hands, quickly assembling themselves as the beginning of the line before Minerva arrived. "So why did you take _my_ money instead of someone else's, Chelia?"

"'Cause you're the only guy nice enough and gullible enough to let me."

"Am not!" Romeo protested. "Maybe I just didn't want Wendy to faint like yesterday."

"You're not really refuting my point here." Romeo's mouth flapped open and closed, but before he could appropriately retort, Minerva's cold voice entered the fray.

"Still standing around, are we?" she snapped. The other clarinets didn't argue with her and simply began getting into the line that the trio had started. Minerva's eyes scanned the row and quickly saw the three of them standing defiantly. It caused a frown to appear on her face, but Hibiki arrived before she could take any action.

Yet again, it took only a few minutes for the insults to begin, but this time Wendy found that they didn't bother her. She resisted the urge to grin at this realization; she had taken the first steps towards defeating Saber Tooth. Of course, Hibiki wasn't doing anything to stop her. Whether it was because he had given up or because of what might have happened after she left yesterday, Wendy couldn't be sure. All she knew was that they would have to endure five more days of this.

Thankfully, she was wrong.

"I hope you're taking appropriate breaks," called Porlyusica across the field. Wendy's eyes lit up at the sight of her aunt before her brow furrowed into confusion. Why was she here? "Sorry to interrupt your practice time, but I'm just going around to the various sections to ensure they take care of themselves in this heat. I don't want anymore humans coming to the nurse's office."

"O-of course, ma'am," Hibiki said, his voice far more despondent than usual. Porlyusica looked him over before scanning the line of clarinets. Her eyes lingered on Minerva a tad longer than most, but moments later she nodded approvingly and swept away.

This simple action seemed to have rejuvenated all the clarinets but Minerva, who was taking the blow to her supposed leadership even harder. Despite the increase in her foulness, though, the clarinets were in high spirits by the time they joined the rest of the band on the big field. Naturally, that was when the horrors started again.

"Honestly, do you have two left feet?" Minerva screeched, her face apoplectic. The sophomore she was yelling at during what was supposed to be their break hung his head and whimpered quietly. This action called even further cruelty from Minerva. "Stop blubbering like a seal, you worthless trash."

Wendy shook her head and munched on her granola bar. Even though it was from the vending machine, she couldn't deny its deliciousness. Not to mention the fact that it was chocolate chip and peanut butter almost made her forget about the she-demon. Next to her, Chelia was making mimicking noises under her breath while she drank her water. Wendy finished her snack as Minerva started snapping at the section as a whole again.

"Now, from the top. If I hear a single mistake, you'll find my boot shoved up your-"

"What's going on here?" Wendy peered around and noticed Erza approaching, her lips drawn and her hands on her hips. Minerva's own lips twisted into a sneer at the sight of the redhead.

"Go away, Erza. This is sectional business," she snapped. Wendy's eyebrows flew into her hair. She started remembering the stories that Romeo had told her about the two girls' rivalry and could already see the beginnings of an ugly fight.

"Last I checked, we drum majors called for a break," Erza said pointedly. Minerva scoffed loudly.

"Don't put yourself so high and mighty, Scarlet."

"I would say the same, Orlando."

"_Hwaset_!" Minerva suddenly cursed. Wendy looked to Chelia who appeared to be just as confused at the random word. Erza wasn't as confused.

"Watch your language. The director won't tolerate it," she said venomously. Minerva laughed.

"Why should I listen to you? _Ro hwasetya_!" There was a short moment where everything was silent and Wendy's eyes were flinging back and forth between the warring women. Then Erza was in Minerva's face, the most frightening of glares on her face.

"They may not understand that archaic language your father taught you, but don't think that I'm not understanding every word you're saying," Erza spat vehemently. Minerva smirked wickedly.

"What'll you do about it?" Erza's body twitched and her hands looked like they were about to shoot out and strangle the girl before her. They didn't, thanks to the timely intervention of a hand on Erza's shoulder.

"I think we should calm down," said the newcomer. Wendy noticed that he looked familiar with his blue hair and the tattoo on his face. Erza seemed to know him well, because she relaxed in his presence. "This isn't the time for a fight, Erza."

"You should listen to your boyfriend, Erza." Wendy quickly put two and two together in her head and realized this boy must've been Jellal.

"Shut up, Minerva, or you'll get on my bad side next," Jellal said with a pointed glare. Minerva's lips tightened, but for the first time she didn't spew any insults. Erza also seemed to calm down in Jellal's presence and composed herself.

"Right," Erza breathed, drawing herself away from Minerva, "I'll let it be for now. Clarinets, make sure you get some water." Almost everyone of their section ignored Minerva's irate expression to run for their water bottles. "Oh, and Minerva, the next time we call for a break, we mean it. After yesterday, I'm not the only drum major paying attention. Mira was quite the _demon_ when she found out."

Erza then gave a wave and walked away with Jellal, who seemed to be fussing over her. Minerva's own face had now twisted into a scowl. Unlike all her other negative changes in attitude, she didn't turn her wrath on the section and instead stalked away angrily. Wendy turned to Chelia and the two girls gave each other a victorious smile.

"That's what it means to be in Fairy Tail," Romeo said as he approached them. "We have Erza on our side."

"At least the drum majors will step in now," Chelia said, fishing her own granola bar out of her pocket. "I'm actually looking forward to lunch today."

"I'm just looking forward to eating something besides this granola bar. No offense, Romeo," Wendy said apologetically. Romeo shrugged.

"None taken. I think mine was stale, anyway. It's probably been in that vending machine since last year." Chelia spit her bar out quickly. "Well, now we actually stand a chance at surviving." Wendy and Chelia beamed at him and the trio exchanged a series of high fives before the drum majors were calling the band back to order.

To Wendy's great surprise, Minerva had become completely silent. There were no insults or vindictive looks (unless they were directed at Erza). It was a complete one-eighty from the way she had been just fifteen minutes ago. The comfort that Wendy derived from this was immeasurable, and for the first time since the first day, Wendy found herself having fun. That fun was practically doubled at lunch when Chelia did an impression of Minerva, down to using toothpicks to represent the girl's eyebrows. It was certainly a good thing that the witch hadn't joined them in the dining hall.

The afternoon passed just as easily as the remainder of the morning had. Hibiki had finally retaken his position as section leader with much confidence and each one of them could breathe again. The section once more became both concentrated yet giddy at the same time. Minerva, for her part, remained entirely separate from the group and she was the first to leave when the bell for dinner rang. Wendy, herself, was packing up when she saw Mirajane approaching her.

"Wendy, the director wants to see you in his office," she told her sweetly. Wendy looked up, alarmed.

"M-me? Did I do something wrong?" Mira shook her head with the kind smile still on her face.

"No, I think he just wants to talk about yesterday," Mira answered. Wendy sighed. Clearly, it was going to take longer to get over her weakness from yesterday than she thought. Wendy thanked Mirajane and the senior pointed her towards the director's office.

Romeo and Chelia bid farewell to her and she immediately went on her way toward the office. It was clear from the moment that she entered the larger building that it wasn't really the director's office, but just the space he was using for the camp's duration. The good thing was that it was air conditioned. Wendy made her way towards the door that was ajar but pulled up short when she heard voices coming through it.

"Can't we just kick him off the board?" asked a gruff voice that Wendy immediately identified as Gildarts'.

"I wish…" Makarov sighed out. "Jura's looking into some kind of loophole but right now the only feasible way of removing him from the board is to remove his daughter from the program."

"Ha, she won't leave the program unless it's bankrupt," Gildarts spat sourly.

"That's the problem!" Makarov said with obvious distaste. "He's using his influence on the board to run the program into the ground!" Wendy had to stifle a gasp at what she heard. Someone was trying to bankrupt the program? ! She had just gotten into it, had wanted to for years. Now it was on the verge of being shut down?

"Jiemma Orlando's a real piece of work, isn't he?" Gildarts said, his voice full of concern. Wendy frowned at the name that had been given. Orlando was Minerva's last name, wasn't it? "Unless we get some more money, the program will be shut down, huh?"

"Forty years I've been working in the program and I've never met such a persistent bastard. I've never had a single parent complain, but then I refuse to make Minerva drum major because of her vindictive tendencies and he makes it his life's mission to shut the program down. Honestly, the only way to save it is to get rid of him or get a ton of money. Both would be nice, though."

"Hmmm…well, I'll think on it some more and get back to you," Gildarts concluded. Makarov affirmed this with a grunt and a clattering was heard from within the office as the door was fully opened. Wendy attempted to look as innocent as possible. "Hey, she's here to see you."

"Good, send her in," Makarov said. Gildarts offered Wendy a smile which she returned before stepping into the office. "Wendy, how are you?"

Somehow, she wasn't at all surprised that the director knew her name (especially when she considered that the man knew her aunt). So, as she sat she answered, "I'm fine, sir."

"That's good to hear," Makarov said with a smile. "Erza told me what happened yesterday. I wanted to make sure you were fine and to hear about what happened from you."

Wendy hesitated a moment. Should she tell him what had happened? Then again…Erza had already told him, so she would be doing little more than confirming it. Realizing this, she took a breath and began to answer her. "Um, well, Minerva kind of overtook our section and didn't let us have any breaks. I just got dehydrated and collapsed. That was it."

"Hmm…I see. Thank you for clarifying things, Wendy, and I'm glad you're feeling better, child." He offered her yet another smile which she returned with a bow before leaving the office. Once she had left the building, she found herself leaning against the wall, a single thought swirling in her head.

Was Minerva really trying to shut the program down?

* * *

The conversation that Wendy had accidentally overheard between Makarov and Gildarts continued to plague Wendy through the evening. While she didn't say anything or even falter during concert practice that night, the insinuation about the program's fate weighed heavily on her mind. She was just glad that no one noticed the change. That evening had been another ensemble music practice, only this time with their ensemble piece. Prior to leaving, Laxus announced that he'd be announcing the members for the small band tomorrow, though that hardly put Wendy in a better frame of mind.

She was so embattled that even as the lights went out in their cabin, she still found that she couldn't sleep. It was because of this that she was so alert and heard the sounds of the front door to the cabin quietly closing. For a moment, Wendy feared that there was some intruder (here meaning pervert) in the cabin and she pulled her sheets around her tightly. Upon further inspection, however, she was able to see that rather than there being more people in the cabin, there were less.

Sure, Erza was still snoring loudly, with Meredy occasionally joining in, but as Wendy peered through the darkness, she could swear that Lucy and Levy's bunk was entirely empty. Curious, Wendy stood and tiptoed to the front door, careful not to wake Erza or Ultear. It was unlocked and Wendy quietly poked her head out, finding no sign of Lucy or the others. This made her curiosity get the better of her and Wendy retreated to her bed, changing out of her cat-printed pajamas and into her normal clothing once again. She then slipped out, completely undetected.

The night air was cool and crisp, a far cry from what the day had been and it made Wendy's heart soar. She quietly hopped off the cabin's porch and padded across the soft grass, looking for some sign of life. Of course, it was against the rules, but her curiosity far outweighed her fear of breaking the rules. Now, she just had to find someone.

It didn't take long.

"Get down," a voice whispered harshly and Wendy felt someone grab her hand and throw the both of them into some nearby bushes. A few seconds later someone else ran past the bushes before dashing into the night. "Sorry about that-ah, Wendy!"

Wendy finally got a good luck at who had pulled her into the bushes, only to find her face inches from Romeo's. She drew back instantly and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Last minute guild game of Capture the Flag," Romeo admitted with a smile. "Tonight it's Team Shadow Gear, or Levy's team, versus Team Natsu sans Erza. Winner faces Team Thunder tomorrow night. It's tradition."

"Isn't it breaking the rules?" Wendy asked nervously. Romeo just gave her a tiny smirk.

"Sure, but it's not like anybody but Erza cares," he told her. "So, as long as we don't get caught, it's all good. Why? Do you want to join? You can totally be a part of Team Natsu."

"I don't know…" she answered skeptically. "I should probably get some sleep or practice in…" _After all, the program probably needs really good players to avoid shutting down_, she thought. Romeo looked somewhat disappointed at this and shifted on the balls of his feet.

"Well, I'm in enemy territory right now, so we should probably move before Droy comes back and decides to actually search the bushes…though he's so large that we'll probably hear him coming." Wendy giggled quietly, causing Romeo to smile once again. "Want me to escort you back to your cabin?"

Wendy ran over the possibilities in her head. She could go back, but after being out here and with those other wretched thoughts still in her head, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Sure, staying out here meant getting back late, but somehow Wendy felt she'd still be at a hundred percent in the morning. "You know what? I think I'll stick around."

"Great!" Romeo said. He seemed to think about something a moment before looking at Wendy intently. "So, I know this place. It's in enemy territory, but it's a great sight. You wanna come?"

Romeo held his hand out and despite her earlier conviction, Wendy debated about taking it. Then she looked into the boy's eyes and saw the earnestness in them. This prompted her to reach her own hand out and clasp Romeo's within it. The two then got up and began to run, and though Wendy would try to deny it, she had never felt more alive than that moment her hand and Romeo's fit together.

* * *

**Author's Note: So I totally envisioned the scene with Wendy and Chelia snacking as essentially them giving a middle finger to Minerva. Well, I've now finished setting up the plot. Onto more romance! And conflict! The story's in three acts and we're still on act one, so there's that too. What am I talking about? You guys don't care about this stuff. By the way, what the hell was up with that dolphin in the most recent episode? Random…**

**A more important issue: I suck at drawing so I'd really like to commission someone to make an image cover for this story if you can…or if you know someone. Also, and this isn't some kind of haughtiness or anything, if you'd like to draw fanart for the story, be my guest, just let me know and credit my story. Really, I just want to see people's interpretations. Well, that's all I have to say. Please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	5. Chapter 5

**And the Holy Crap Quotient of Fairy Tail reached astronomical values with Chapter 390. Of course, my story here isn't quite so shocking. Chapter 5 starts now.**

* * *

Chapter 5

Wendy wasn't sure when this had become a bad idea. Though she felt perfectly safe traveling alongside Romeo, she also couldn't deny that wherever he was taking them was certainly difficult to get to. It was a common occurrence for a branch to almost hit her head or for a root to nearly trip her up. Combined with her klutzy tendencies, this meant Wendy tripped and fell far more often than she would have liked. Thankfully, Romeo was there to catch her every time.

Their stumbling through the woods became fully evident when they heard a sound that appeared to be someone moving through the trees. It was no surprise, since they were in the middle of a game, but they still stepped backwards in surprise. Romeo didn't account for the root behind him and he quickly tumbled away with an outcry and slammed into a tree face first. Wendy laughed a little too loudly.

"It's not funny, Wendy…" he groaned as he extricated his face from the tree trunk. He had a small cut on his forehead that he began to rub. Taking pity on him, Wendy walked over and started examining the wound.

"Actually, it kind of is," she giggled out as she moved Romeo's hand to the side and peered at his cut in concentration. Romeo just stood there and frowned. "It's shallow, so just clean it with some alcohol and stick a band-aid on it."

"Huh, you really know your stuff," he commented, finally drawing away from Wendy's concerned touch. Wendy shrugged at the compliment.

"Both my aunt and my mom are nurses, so I picked up a few first-aid tricks here and there."

"Well, thanks for the advice," Romeo said with a grin. "Now, come on. It's not that far ahead." Romeo didn't take Wendy's hand this time, but continued to lead her through the forest. The line of trees began to become thinner until, at last, Romeo stopped. Wendy almost bumped into him but stopped just short enough. She moved around the boy to glance at the sight and she gasped.

Stretched before them was a pond that could almost be described as a mini-lake, encapsulated by the forest on all sides. The water's surface was clear as crystal and looked like a mirror that was reflecting the sky. Stars were shining in the sky that night and they appeared as little pinpricks of light on the water's surface. Combined with the moonlight that hit the lake, it created a rather ethereal glow. What really sold it, though, were the numerous fireflies that flitted about the lake, their nascent glow making the whole place look as if it were surrounded by guiding, little lights.

"It's beautiful," Wendy commented, her feet moving her just a little closer to the water's edge. She then heard a rustling behind her and Wendy turned around to see Romeo climbing a tree.

"It's even better from up here," he said as he offered a hand to help her up. Hesitant about climbing the tree, it took Wendy a moment before she grabbed Romeo's hand and allowed him to help her up. A minute later, they were situated on a sturdy branch that overlooked the lake. From here, she could see it in full and the sight was dazzling.

"It's really amazing, Romeo!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide and adoring at the sight before her. "The water and the sky are in perfect synchronicity to make this!"

"Yeah…perfect…" Wendy turned her head to smile at Romeo to find him staring at her. She tilted her head in confusion, but Romeo just rubbed his head and looked away. "I-I'm glad you like it."

"Thanks for showing me." After that, their words faded away as they listened to the sound of the chirping crickets and the slight rippling of the water's surface. Wendy kicked her legs back and forth on the branch, thinking of what to say. It wasn't long before she settled on an idea. "So, why do you admire my brother so much?"

"That's hard to answer…" Romeo said, his face drawn into one of focus. "I guess it goes back to the Fantasia Parade about four years ago. I saw him performing with the junior high band and I couldn't help but think 'That's what I want to do!' So, the simplest explanation is that seeing your brother in action really inspired me. I just feel like he's the pinnacle of music achievement that I could only hope to reach."

"Hmmm…" Wendy mused with a smile. "That Fantasia parade must be something pretty special to inspire so many people."

"It certainly changed my life," Romeo said. Wendy laughed.

"Why? Because you met Natsu?"

"Well, that…and it eventually led me to you." Wendy froze for a moment at Romeo's comment. What was that supposed to mean? However, when Romeo laughed, she instantly forgot about it. "You know, I think this'll be a really great year."

He threw his hands into the air triumphantly. The action caused his balance to be lost and Romeo started to slip. Wendy noticed and lunged her hand over to latch on to his arm and pull him back up. "I don't think it'll be that good if you split your head open."

"Good point. Thanks, Wendy," he said gratefully. She nodded at him as she went back to staring at the lake. "Fairy Tail's gonna win, you know? We're not gonna lose to Saber Tooth this year."

"Of course we'll win!" Wendy said happily. Romeo stood next to her, attempting to balance on the tree branch.

"FAIRY TAIL'S GONNA WIN!" he screamed to the world. Wendy laughed, clapping her hands together in jubilation. Romeo dropped back down to sitting but quickly stopped short. "Is that…?"

Wendy followed his gaze and saw the red and yellow flag with Fairy Tail's emblem on it hanging from a branch over the lake. She went to grin at Romeo only to find him already scrambling across the treetops. More than once it seemed like the boy would lose his balance and Wendy's entire body was tensed at the thought of it. Thankfully, he reached the overhanging branch and clutched it like a safety blanket until his hands fastened around the flag. Grinning madly, he made his way back to Wendy, who slapped him on the shoulder.

"That was reckless," she said with a pout.

"Aw, are you worried about me, Wendy?"

"You keep that up and I'll start to not." Romeo quickly apologized.

"All right, let's get back to base before we're caught. I'm surprised they didn't have any guards." Romeo clambered down the tree with Wendy following quickly after.

"They probably thought it'd be near impossible to get the flag," Wendy stated once they were far enough from the lake.

"Then they underestimated my mad tree-climbing skills!" Romeo said haughtily as they broke the line of trees. Wendy rolled her eyes at the boy's arrogance and the two began to speed up. They were within sight of the dividing line when they heard someone yelling.

"They have the flag!"

"Well, get after them, dumbass! You're supposed to be the fastest guy on our team!"

"Don't talk back to me, Gajeel!"

"You wanna go, Jet?" growled Gajeel, their voices getting ever closer.

"Run, Romeo, run!" yelled Natsu. Wendy looked around and noticed that it seemed he was in jail. Gajeel aimed a kick at him, which her brother dodged.

"Shut it, Salamander!"

In the time that it took them to finish their argument, Romeo had run across the line and tossed the opposing team's flag to the ground in triumph. Gajeel saw this and growled louder than he ever had before. Wendy laughed as Natsu barreled past him, almost knocking their cousin over in the process.

"That's right, Metal Head. We win!" he said childishly, sticking his tongue out at the imposing boy. Natsu's cry seemed to have attracted the remaining team members who began to gather around them. Lucy was the first one that Wendy saw.

"Natsu, did you get captured again?" she asked and Wendy figured that it was probably a common incident on their team. Lucy sighed at Natsu's lack of response. "I told you not to wear your plainly white scarf in a game that requires stealth."

"Who cares about that?" Gajeel yelled as he strode over and roughly grabbed Natsu. "I want a rematch. You guys had Wendy join your team halfway through."

"So? It's not like she carried the flag over the line. That was all Romeo." Natsu teased, a mocking smirk on his face. Gajeel's growl got even deeper. "Besides, you know we only have time for one game a night. Guess you'll just have to accept the loss."

"You really wanna die tonight, huh?"

"Cut it out, Gajeel. We won, just accept it," Gray said as he approached them.

"Shut up, Fullbuster."

"Yeah, keep out of this snow cone!" Gray wasn't having any of that and he quickly stripped his pants off (they were naturally caught by a creeping Juvia) before diving into the fight which all too soon became a melee-a-trois. Next to Wendy, both Lucy and Levy sighed.

"This happens every year," Levy said dejectedly. "When will Gajeel just learn to grow up?"

"You think _he's_ a man-child? I think Natsu just shoved his fingers up Gray's nose," Lucy commented with a sigh. "Romeo, you can take care of this, right? We'll take Wendy and head back to the cabin."

Romeo wasn't really given a choice because the girls quickly departed with Wendy sandwiched in between the two older ones. She was able to give a small wave to Romeo but that was it before she was forced to endure five minutes of both Levy and Lucy complaining about Gajeel and Natsu respectively. It got so bad that when they reached the cabin porch, Wendy couldn't take it.

"If they're so bad," she began softly, "then why do you want to go out with them?"

The question shocked the two older girls into silence. Wendy, pleased with herself, silently entered the cabin, changed once again and was under the covers well before the other two came back in. She then fell into a sleep full of dreams of lakes, flags, and a black-haired boy.

* * *

When Wendy awoke the next morning, she found that she was smiling and that she was the first one to actually wake up. She got dressed, grabbed her stuff and was out the door before even Erza had woken up. The sky was clouded over, a far cry from how it looked the previous night. This didn't upset Wendy since it made the day cooler, if infinitely more humid. It made the walk to the dining hall pleasant where she was met with an utterly humorous sight.

"Didn't sleep?" Wendy asked as she sat next to Romeo, her plate of pancakes balancing precariously on her hand. Romeo looked at her from behind his coffee cup with a groan.

"They were at it…all…night," he said before taking another sip of coffee. Wendy laughed as she dug into her pancakes. Soon after, Romeo's head collapsed onto the table and refused to move until Wendy nudged him and told him it was time for practice.

"Hey there, Anti-Minerva Alliance," Chelia greeted them. Wendy gave a smile and a wave as Chelia's eyebrow quirked upon seeing Romeo. "Holy crap, you look like hell, Romeo."

"Stop talking…it burns my ears," Romeo complained. Chelia looked to Wendy in question but she just shrugged amusedly. "I _really_ hope Minerva isn't so horrible today. I think my brain would split open."

"Wouldn't want that," Chelia mumbled as the three of them finished getting into line. The other clarinets were also following suit, clearly hoping to avoid any Minerva-induced insults. To their genuine surprise, however, Minerva strode up to the section without a word and placed herself in line.

Wendy peered around to get a better look at her. She still appeared smug even though she wasn't trying to control the section like she had been before. Wendy frowned at the realization that she had no reason not to be smug. After all, her and her father were trying to bankrupt the program and were clearly succeeding. She didn't need to lift another finger or make another person's life horrible to achieve that. The thought made Wendy sigh quietly.

Hibiki soon arrived and took to his reestablishment as section leader with the same zeal that he had shown on the first day. In other words, the clarinet's cohesiveness as a section was near pitch perfect as they headed for the marching field where a surprise awaited them.

"The director's here? !" Chelia gasped out. Wendy looked around and sure enough she managed to see the small-sized director talking with Laxus quietly. Even once their conversation had finished, Makarov took a seat that gave him the opportunity to survey the field.

"Is that unusual?" Wendy asked her friend.

"Very," Romeo grunted in her place. He was looking much better than he had that morning but had resorted to one word conversations instead.

"Last year, at least, he was just around for the first day and then we never saw him until the Games," Chelia explained. "He likes putting all the responsibility on the drum majors and vanishes the rest of the week. So, for him to be here now…I wonder why?"

Wendy frowned as she took her position on the field. Her eyes continued to watch Makarov, waiting for him to make a move and wondering why he would choose today of all days to be here. For the most part, the old man just sat there lazily with a book in his hand and some drink that looked suspiciously like alcohol. Then there was a moment when his eyes would flick upward or to the side, like he was watching something.

It wasn't until break time that Wendy figured out what he was watching. After she had gotten her water, she made it a point to observe the director and follow his line of sight. She was only somewhat surprised at the choice of observations: it was Minerva. She didn't seem to be oblivious to all the attention either, because her face was far more drawn and her countenance more sour. Minerva clearly didn't enjoy being watched, though Wendy found herself grateful that the girl couldn't pull anything under the director's watchful eye. Whether it was a result of what had happened to Wendy two days ago or if it was because of Minerva's plan, Wendy couldn't be sure. The one thing that was clear was that Director Makarov, even in a docile state, was not someone to be messed with.

As a result of the director's presence, not only was Minerva far more bearable than usual, but the band chose to work harder as well. They clearly wanted to impress their director with how much progress they had made in the last four days. By the time that the bell rang for dinner, both Wendy and Chelia were convinced they had almost the entire show down, but that judgment was still left to the drum majors. When they reached the dining hall, Chelia bid farewell to Wendy and skipped off as the fourteen year old bluenette joined up with some Fairy Tail members at the dinner table.

"Wait, ha ha, you lost because Jet wouldn't stop arguing with Gajeel," guffawed Cana as Wendy approached with her dinner. "Laaaame."

"Oh, shut up, Cana," Levy pouted, clearly still unhappy about the loss last night. Cana continued to laugh at her misfortune before she saw Lucy approaching with Gray and Juvia practically on her heels.

"Hey, Lucy, hope you're ready to lose tonight," she hollered, tossing the blonde a smirk. Lucy shot her own back as she sat next to Wendy.

"Not a chance, Cana! Wendy, here, joined our team last night, so now we're even better!"

"Oh no, I'm not that-" Wendy tried to protest before she was cut off by the sight of Mira walking towards them, a thick stack of papers in her hands.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, Mira?" Cana purred sycophantically. "We never see you drum majors at dinner."

"Laxus wanted me to tall you all that we'll be running auditions for the Experimental portion tonight during the latter half of practice," she informed them stoically.

"Laxus, huh?" Cana teased, wiggling her eyebrows the whole while. Mira ignored her.

"So, what's with the papers, Mira?" Lucy asked. Mira smiled brightly.

"Director Makarov has decided on this year's festival," she announced and held the papers up, which turned out to be a poster. "Dance Festival!"

The proclamation had been made to the room at large and was met with many cheers, mostly from females. Wendy saw Gray scowl and figured that was probably the reaction of most of the boys. There was a more burning question on her mind though. "What do you mean by 'festival'?"

"Every year," Lucy began to answer, "the drum majors and Director Makarov decide on a theme for the evening before the games and we end up following that. It's meant to be a last chance for the guilds to get along before they go all cutthroat. So, Mira, how much of a hand did you have in it this year? A dance? Really?"

"Whatever are you talking about, Lucy?" Mira said sweetly, but Wendy felt a cold shiver run down her back. "It's just a dance, unless you're worried about getting asked by a certain someone." Lucy blushed intensely but no one was paying attention thanks to Gray speaking.

"It's bound to be better than last year," Gray mused, pulling off his shirt as he did so. "I mean, who thought Carnival festival was a good idea? That damn flame brain dunked me at least fifteen times!"

"That's your fault for volunteering for the dunk tank," Lucy pointed out.

"Gray-sama can dunk Juvia anytime…"

"Let's not forget freshman year," Levy interjected. "How did Laxus even convince the Director to do a Fighting Festival other than the fact he's his grandson?"

"The contests weren't that bad until Natsu joined in."

"And Gajeel…I still remember the karaoke." A shudder passed around the table and Wendy just couldn't take it anymore. She burst out laughing, the whole table shaking with her movement. Lucy looked at her concernedly.

"I think we broke Wendy."

"No…just, you guys are too funny…" she wheezed out between laughs. Mira smiled at her as she calmed down, waiting to say more. When Wendy finally quieted down, Mira spoke again.

"Anyway, I expect each and every one of you to come with dates," she said professionally. "There'll be plenty of games for both single and couples, but the couples' prizes are better. So, don't be shy and ask that special someone."

"Can the program afford all that, though?" Wendy didn't realize she had blurted that out loud until she saw the numerous faces staring at her. As quickly as she had said it, Wendy puckered her lips in the hopes that she wouldn't say anything more.

"What are you talking about, Wendy?" Lucy asked quietly. Wendy shook her head, hoping that the blonde flutist would drop the subject. If anything, it encouraged her more. "Wendy, you know something…Just tell us!"

"I-I really shouldn't," Wendy stuttered. She kept her eyes cast downward but couldn't take the burden of the stares for very long. She looked up and realized what a mistake it was because under their looks she crumbled like a dam. "I overheard a conversation between Mister Gildarts and the director yesterday. They said Minerva's dad was trying to bankrupt the program because she didn't make drum major."

Lucy shot out of her chair, similar to how Natsu had the day prior. Her fists were clenched and she looked just as ready as he had to spit fire. Wendy flinched and even Gray took a step behind Juvia at her seething rage. "So, she wants to solve the problem with money, huh?" Lucy then began to stomp away from the table.

"Where are you going?" Levy called after her.

"To call my father!" Then she was gone and Gray relaxed. Wendy hung her head in shame.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overhear…I don't even know how true it is." Mira just offered her a smile.

"Don't worry, Wendy. It must have been hard to keep that kind of secret," Mira told her, causing Wendy to give a relieved sigh. "Well, I should get going too. Just remember, I want all of you to show up at the Festival with dates, so don't disappoint me. See you at guild practice." All too quickly, Mira had vanished from sight.

"You know she already has you all paired off in her mind, right?" Cana said with a raised eyebrow. This earned a collective sigh from most members at the table.

Except for Juvia, of course, who turned to Gary with shining eyes and asked, "Gray-sama will take Juvia, yes?"

"Can I think about it?" he asked in response, awkwardly rubbing his neck. Cana sniggered.

"Gray, maybe you should think about your clothes instead."

"What the hell? !" he exclaimed before dashing off to find the loose articles of clothing. Juvia followed him. Then, moments later, Natsu approached their table, laughing loudly.

"Man, that stripper's such an idiot," he said jubilantly as he took a seat. He looked around a moment before he frowned. "Hey, where's Lucy? I wanted to ask her something."

The remaining occupants of the table all looked at each other before silently returning to their dinners. Natsu, surprisingly, didn't question it and focused on his own dinner. Wendy made sure to be long gone before her brother could ask any questions and she quickly went to the guild hall. Only a few people were there and a surprising number of them were in duos. Wendy shrugged it off and set herself to practicing her pieces. Before long, the guild began to fill in and Laxus stood up to make an announcement before sectionals.

"All right, myself and a few others have decided on those participating in the small band portion, so stand up when I call your name and then we'll get to sectional practices. Flute: Lucy Heartfilia. Clarinet: Juvia Lockser. Oboe: Ultear Milkovich. Bass Clarinet: Erza Scarlet. Saxophone: Fried Justine. Trumpet: Cana Alberona. Trombone: Bickslow. Baritone: Jellal Fernandes. Tuba: Evergreen. Drums: Natsu Dragneel. You ten will be representing us so don't screw up guys."

With that announcement made, the sections turned back to their leader and went to work. The sectional practice that followed was much smoother than the one two days before, so they were able to get more done. Juvia also made the announcement that she would choose their representative for the games in two days time. This information made Wendy all the more encouraged to practice hard. With two hours left in the evening section, space was made in the middle of the guild hall for the Experimental tryouts. Wendy sat next to Romeo during this and he kept a constant stream of commentary about the performers. There were Fired and Bickslow, Max and Warren, Gray and Lucy (which had Juvia seething), a supposedly surprising pair of Erza and Lisanna, and the last one turned out to be Natsu and Gajeel.

"You know, for all the fighting they do outside of practice," Lucy commented when the girls were on their way back to the cabin, "they make a pretty effective team when it comes to music."

"I was surprised, too," Levy said. "If Laxus doesn't put them up then I don't know what he was listening to. What do you think, Erza?"

"I think Mira is overstepping her boundaries," Erza spat. The three girls recoiled from the vicious redhead's tone. "Who does she think she is? A Dance Festival? She just wants to play matchmaker. Well, I won't fall for it!"

"And we've lost Erza…" Lucy said with a facepalm. Levy chuckled.

"Do we have to wear a dress to this?" Wendy asked, suddenly realizing a predicament that came along with the festival. Lucy tapped her chin in thought.

"That's a good question. The Festivals are usually informal, but this is kind of different."

"Knowing Mira, though, she'll want us to dress for prom or something," Levy said with a sigh. Lucy patted her back comfortingly as they entered the cabin. Wendy suddenly remembered that they'd be heading out to play soon and became extremely conscious under Erza's watchful eyes. It took some time, but eventually Erza's snores filled the cabin and Wendy found herself being shaken awake by Lucy.

In moments, Wendy was standing at the dividing line that had been established yesterday. She yawned a bit, but was still able to give a wave to Romeo and Natsu as they approached. It was that moment where she finally saw who their team contained: Natsu, Lucy, Gray, the giant Elfman, his sister Lisanna, Romeo, and herself. She also saw that Team Thunder was essentially Laxus, Mira and the people who hung around them.

"You guys have five minutes to hide your flag and we start up whether you're back here or not," Laxus said. Natsu grinned as he shook Laxus' hand and then called the rest of the team into a circle.

"Lucy and I are gonna hide the flag by that lake. You know the one, Romeo," Natsu told them. Romeo nodded and even Wendy could understand the instruction. "I'll put it on that big piece of driftwood. I need you and Wendy on guard duty tonight, but don't come back here until those five minutes are up. Me and Lucy will sneak back over and Lucy will run the jail. Stripper, Elfman, and Lisanna, you're on assault."

"You got it, Natsu!"

"This is a job for a real man."

"'Bout time I get to show you up, flame brain," Gray said, stripping his pants off. Natsu glared at him but decided to let the team break. Wendy watched Gray and the other two run off to take positions while she stood next to Romeo (who was fidgeting uncomfortably), waiting for the signal to begin the game.

That signal came in the form of a member of Laxus' team running across the line only to be tackled by Elfman. It seemed innocuous until Wendy started seeing some potentially questionable positions and turned away to follow after Romeo. She was now more informed of the path they were taking and remained silent as the two weaved their way to their guard post. Before they could arrive, Wendy heard voices and she quickly stopped Romeo. Had the opposing team already beaten them there? The two teens crept closer and were soon able to discern the voices.

"You know we're supposed to be playing the game, right, Natsu?" That was almost certainly Lucy's voice.

"Of course, but as long as they don't get our flag, we're good. Besides, I may not say it to his face, but I trust Gray to give us a win."

"But Fried's good at laying traps…"

"Relax, Luce, we'll be fine." There was an additional sound that caused both Wendy and Romeo to look out from their hiding place to see Natsu swimming. "Look, there's something I wanted to talk to you about but I couldn't find you at dinner."

"I had some business to take care of," Lucy said. "So what is it? Do you need money? What did you break this time?"

"Nothing, actually…I was just wondering if you wanted to go to this Dance Festival thing with me."

"Y-you did?" Lucy asked, her voice full of apprehension and disbelief. Wendy turned to look at Romeo, whose eyes had widened past their natural state. She almost laughed at that.

"Uh…yeah."

"You're not joking or tricking me, are you?"

"No!" Natsu snapped defensively. "I wanted to ask you last year but that bastard Loke beat me to it. Makes me glad he's in college now."

"Well, I would've gone with you if you'd just asked," Lucy pouted. "Yes, I'll go with you, Natsu. Just don't embarrass me."

"No promises there," Natsu said. Despite Lucy having requested it, she still laughed at Natsu's laissez-faire attitude about the matter. Wendy couldn't help but smile. It wasn't quite the confession of love that she knew her brother had been trying to make for months, but it was still a start. She would have started clapping but she head a twig snap behind her and she whipped around to confront the intruder.

"Would the two of you mind telling me why you thought it was a good idea to break the rules and go out at night?" Standing before them was Erza, her hair in a bun and a scowl on her face. Wendy and Romeo looked at each other in fear and said the first thing that came to their minds.

"It was Natsu's fault." Erza's expression hardened and the two waited for their sentence to be dropped.

"Of course it was, but shame on you for dragging Wendy into this, Romeo." Romeo hung his head in disgrace but Wendy's eyes never left the steely woman's face. She sighed momentarily before hauling the two to their feet with little effort. "You are to return to your cabins immediately. Romeo, you better make sure Wendy gets inside, because if she's not there when I get back-"

"Got it! We'll be fine!" Romeo exclaimed. He quickly grabbed Wendy's hand and the two sped away. They didn't even stop for breath until they were outside Wendy's cabin. "That…that was close!"

"I've never actually seen Erza that mad," Wendy confessed between her own breaths. "I do feel kind of bad for Natsu, though."

"I wouldn't. He always jumps back from Erza's punishments." The two of them laughed about the truth of that statement before Wendy finally realized she was still holding Romeo's hand. With great haste and a horrible blush, she pulled away and started moving back towards the cabin entrance.

"Well, good night, Romeo," she said with a wave, still fighting to keep the blush down.

"Yeah, night…" Wendy nodded and had her hand on the door when she suddenly heard Romeo call her name. She turned to look at him inquisitively. "I…you know what…never mind…"

"Well, you have to tell me now," Wendy pouted. This made him turn back.

Romeo took a deep breath and practically bellowed, "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Festival with me...As friends! I wouldn't want people like Hibiki hitting on you or something…"

Wendy contemplated the question a moment, a little shocked at what he had asked. She had never actually been to a dance before. Well, there had been that time in Seventh Grade. She hadn't gone with anyone but she did have a dance with her music teacher which creeped her out to the point that she never went again. Now, someone was asking her and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. She was clearly taking too long though, because Romeo was turning away with a dejected look on his face. When she noticed this, she swiftly pulled out of her reveries to address him.

"Romeo, I'd love to," she answered. After all, it _was_ just as friends.

"Y-you will?" She nodded again, making a grin appear on the boy's face. "Great…That's great…yeah…I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Of course," she laughed out. Romeo continued to smile as he bid her good night. Smiling as well, Wendy turned into the cabin.

"You're back unscathed!" cried a voice as Wendy saw long locks of pink hair pull her into a crushing hug. "We tried to stop Erza, but she's a force of nature."

"It's fine, Meredy…though, I'd be more worried for Lucy…" she answered with a smile as Meredy withdrew.

"Well, at least she didn't skin you al-wait, why are you smiling?"

"No reason," Wendy said as she ambled over to her bed and got dressed for sleep. The smile never once left her face.

* * *

**Author's Note: Whew! This was difficult to write simply because there was little actual plot progression. That being said, the plot will soon fly off. I hope you all enjoyed this relative slice of fluff, though. On another note: HOLY CRAP! That new chapter was…just…I have no words…I somewhat suspected it, but DAMN! Not so much on the new episode, though I like that they switched up who was facing who against the Garou Knights (Loke hitting on Cosmos was particularly funny). Also, FOUR spinoffs? I'll definitely read Fairy Tail Zero and the Gray one but somehow I get the feeling that the Erza and Lucy one will be 75% fanservice and the Wendy one is just…no…I love Wendy, she's my favorite female character but she does not belong in some strange-ass magical adventure about finding love. Especially if it's a prequel. She's TWELVE YEARS OLD! Sure, I ship her with Romeo (obviously) but that's for when they're a little older. Well, at least I don't think it'll be canon. Okay, rant over. That being said, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it and my chapter in a Review or a PM. But until next time, Dare to Be Silly.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ha, I super called it that Wendy would be on the cover of Volume 44! But while she may not be super badass in my story, she's still super awesome! Chapter 6 begins now!**

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Chapter 6

Wendy felt absolutely radiant the next morning, something which seemed to creep Meredy out (the girl had surprisingly woken up around the same time). Lucy was even more so, to the point that she overshadowed the younger girl. She wouldn't say why, but Levy confided in her fellow bluenette that they all knew the reason why. Wendy agreed; after all, she had seen her brother and Lucy together enough to know that Natsu was one of the few people to make the blonde smile so brightly. Knowing this, Wendy left the cabin with Meredy and the two trekked towards the dining hall.

"Okay, you seriously have to tell me what has you grinning," she said with a disgruntled look as they grabbed their breakfast.

"It's nothing, really," Wendy assured her, biting into her biscuit. Meredy stared at her with a slight downward turn to her lips before clapping her hands together.

"You have a date to the Festival!" she concluded. Wendy's eyes widened and she almost choked on her biscuit. Meredy sat back in satisfaction.

"I-I wouldn't call it a date. We're just going as friends," she protested loudly, waving her hands wildly in front of her red face. "How did you know anyway?"

"I'm good at sensing people's emotions," Meredy said, tapping a finger against her head. "That and I could have sworn I heard someone yelling last night about it right before you came in."

"Now, I'm embarrassed." Meredy laughed as she patted her fellow freshman on the back. Wendy didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she focused on breakfast and the two were out the door moments later. The clarinetist bid farewell to the oboe player and made her way to the clarinet's' practice field. Romeo was already there.

"Hey!" he greeted, his grin just as wide as hers. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she chuckled out. They were certainly being formal this morning. "How about you?"

"Better than your brother and Gray. Much better."

"Did Erza punish them?" Wendy whispered out. Romeo nodded sagely.

"Probably wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't started fighting each other, but you know how she can't stand that." Wendy joined the boy in nodding just as Chelia chose that moment to appear.

"What're you two talking about?" she asked teasingly.

"Erza," Romeo admitted. "She's a monster, you know. When Elfman got in last night, he said that even Laxus and Mira looked scared.

"By this point, I'd think that everyone in the program would know not to mess with Erza," Chelia said, as if stating the obvious. "On a happier note, though, did you guys see the fliers for the Festival this year?"

"Chelia," Wendy began in a deadpan, "all of the drum majors are in our guild. Of course we saw them."

"It's so lovely!" she squealed, almost completely disregarding her friend's statement. "I hope Lyon asks me, but knowing him, he'll be focused on that blue bimbo."

"I wouldn't call Juvia that," Romeo warned. The feisty pinkette was beyond consoling and was already on a fuming tangent, however. "I'd just give up on Lyon and go ask someone else."

"You offering, Romeo? I guess you wouldn't make that bad of a date."

"Sorry, but I'm already going with someone," Romeo told her proudly. Wendy flushed, though her smile didn't fall. Chelia, on the other hand, almost dropped her clarinet in shock.

"No way! Who?" Neither of them answered, causing Chelia to glare at them suspiciously until she put the dots together. "Wendy? ! Really? I didn't even know you two had a thing!"

"It's just as friends," they said simultaneously, but Chelia was already in full-on "love" mode, so they chose to turn away from her and try their best to ignore the awkwardness.

They were rescued from the gushing pinkette by the timely arrival of Hibiki, who called them all to order. Once again, Wendy found it supremely odd that Minerva was managing to curb her tongue. She still wore all the dirty expressions imaginable to mankind, but she never uttered a word. To most of the section, it was obvious they saw this as a blessing and promptly forgot about the girl. Wendy was a little more skeptical (just as her fellow companions were) which meant she kept her gaze on the girl with the utmost scrutiny. She still hadn't pulled anything by the time they had arrived at the practice field.

Unlike yesterday, Director Makarov was not present, but it hardly meant a return to Minerva's old ways. Wendy was relieved by this fact and drew her attentions away from the vindictive senior for the remainder of practice and instead focused on her own movements. The drum majors announced before lunch that they were practically in the final stages of preparing their show and that very soon it would be complete. This gave Wendy a feeling of complete satisfaction and joy.

It was after lunch that things turned sour very quickly.

They were in the midst of their mid-afternoon break and Wendy was conversing happily with Chelia about the direction of the marching show when they saw a large crowd gathering near the percussionists. Naturally, Wendy's mind immediately assumed that Natsu was a part of it and she sighed, but nevertheless decided to walk over and see. Chelia joined her and as they got closer they could hear a chant rising from the gathered crowd.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" Wendy looked at Chelia, who shrugged, and they decided to weave their way through the crowd to get a better glimpse. Sure enough, Wendy found that Natsu was in the middle of the circle. What did surprise her, though, were the other people with him. Gajeel was standing next to him with a fierce look that mirrored her brother's. Sprawled on the ground in front of the two cousins were Sting and Rogue, both clutching their chests. Wendy's eyes flitted between the two pairs, noticing that both Natsu and Gajeel had some bruises on their bodies.

"You wanna say that again, Ryos," Gajeel taunted with a smirk.

"I told you not to call me that ridiculous nickname!" Rogue spat with the most emotion that Wendy had ever seen the boy give, standing as he did so.

"Aw, you'll always be little Ryos to me," Gajeel said, cracking his knuckles. "I thought you said it made you cooler."

"Stop talking, Rivet-face!" Natsu snapped. "We're fighting here, not having some dainty discussion over tea!"

"Gee hee. For once, you're right, Salamander." Gajeel's smirk never dropped while Natsu's face was simply one of extreme ferocity. "Now, tell us what you said again so we can punch you and clean out those mouths of yours."

"We're only speaking the truth," Sting said arrogantly. "There's no need to get so defens-" Sting's breath escaped from his mouth as Natsu's fist drove into his stomach.

"Stop acting so smug, Sting," Natsu growled. "You can talk yourself up all you want. Hell, you can even talk down to me…"

"But the one thing you should never do," Gajeel said as he bared down on Rogue, "is insult our guild or our family." The crowd around them hushed for but a few seconds. Wendy looked around and saw Gray struggling against the hold of Lucy, Cana, and Juvia, as though he wanted to get into the middle of the fight. She also saw Minerva, who was standing there with a satisfied smile on her face while flanked by Rufus and Orga. Then Wendy saw Romeo, whose face was contorted into a nasty scowl with his fists shaking.

"It's not an insult if it's true," Sting said, stretching his arms outward. "You guys try to lift each other on a pedestal, but the truth is that you've become a bunch of weaklings. Just look at your sister: she went and fainted on the second day."

"I said shut the hell up!" Natsu yelled, his fist flying haphazardly at Sting's head. Sting dodged it and punched Natsu in the stomach. The salmon-haired boy didn't even flinch. "Let's remind you of your first day, Sting: crying like a baby because Laxus told you that you were doing it wrong."

"Let's not forget the way they looked up to us, too, Salamander," Gajeel pointed out, his grin becoming increasingly feral. "Always followed after us like mewling cats. My Pantherlily's got more dignity that you punks."

"You're just talking tough," Rogue said, rubbing his chin. "But let's face it. Last year proved that talking was all you could do."

"I could do some talking with my fists!" Gajeel threatened. He was taking a step forward when a new voice entered into the fray.

"What the hell is going on here, guys?" Laxus called. The crowd suddenly parted for him like he was the king, but the blonde drum major paid no mind to it. "Are you two idiots fighting again?"

"They started it!" Natsu said childishly. Wendy saw her cousin roll his eyes at Natsu's statement.

"Yeah, and I'm sure you completely resisted the urge to jump right in," Laxus deadpanned before sighing loudly. "You four all know that fighting isn't allowed. I should punish you, but since I get that you're a bunch of adrenaline monkeys, I'll let you off the hook. Be glad it wasn't Erza or Mira who came over."

"Laxus!" Natsu yelled disparagingly as the senior turned away to leave. "Come on, I can't just let them go after they insulted Fairy Tail, Wendy and all my friends!"

"What?" Laxus asked, coming to a complete standstill. The people around him all attempted to scatter away, as though frightened by the aura the blonde male was giving off. He slowly turned around to look at Sting and Rogue, who were nursing their wounds. "Are you talking trash about Fairy Tail?"

"Easy to talk it when that's what you guys are," Sting retorted. Wendy narrowed her eyes, her own rage beginning to bubble to the surface. Sting Eucliffe should never have said that. A few seconds later, she was sure that he, himself, was thinking the same thing. Like a shot of lightning, Laxus had approached Sting and held him aloft with one hand.

"You really don't know when to shut your face, do you Sting?" Laxus spat in his face, his own being contorted into one of utmost fury. "Maybe I should remind you just how frightening I can be."

"Laxus!" Mira cried, herself finally emerging into the circle. Erza was close behind her, along with numerous other members of Fairy Tail. "Stop this right now!"

"You might want to turn away, Mira," Laxus warned. Behind him, Natsu and Gajeel were cracking their knuckles again. "This won't be pretty."

"Laxus, stop, or I'll report it to the director," Erza said authoritatively. Laxus shot a glare to his fellow drum major, who remained unmoving. With a snarl, Laxus dropped Sting, who instantly attempted to scurry away. It didn't stop the older boy from fixing him with a death glare that froze him.

"Let's get one thing straight, Eucliffe. I don't give a rat's ass how good you think you and your guild are. You're still nothing more than the little boy who once ran up to Natsu, asking for his autograph. Fairy Tail's ten times the guild that Saber Tooth is, and Wendy is a hundred times the player you are. If I were you, I'd shut your damn mouth before you have more than just a broken jaw." Laxus, looking pleased with himself, finally turned around to walk away.

It appeared that neither Sting nor Saber Tooth had learned their lessons, however.

"Fairy Tail?" Sting cried out so that almost the whole band could hear. "Fairy Tail's a bunch of has-beens who have worn out their welcome. This is the era of Saber Tooth! We're the best guild in this band and you guys are just second-rate!"

The entire crowd hushed. Even those outside of Fairy Tail knew that Sting had gone too far. Wendy found her own body moving away from Chelia, almost against her own will. Moments later, she was standing amongst her fellow guild mates, each of them clasping each other's hands. It was an action that proved their absolute unity. In this silent show of solidarity, Sting seemed to pale. Even with the entirety of Saber Tooth standing behind him, even with Minerva laughing callously, it was obvious that Sting had finally noticed just who he was insulting.

Then Natsu stepped forward. Clasping his hands were Gajeel and, surprisingly, Wendy herself. "Just remember this: we're a family. You insult any member of our family and you insult all of us."

Then Fairy Tail, as one force, turned away and marched to the other end of the field with army-like precision. It took a few minutes for the gossip caused by the confrontation to finally fade and for the band to return to practice. Still, the atmosphere remained charged. Though the performance didn't suffer for it (in fact, Fairy Tail was doing its best to be perfect), everyone could feel the tension between the two guilds. It was strange even to Wendy.

Perhaps what cemented Fairy Tail's unity in her mind was that when the bell for dinner rang, she joined hands with Juvia, Laki, and Romeo as they stalked off towards the dining hall. They got their food together and then sat together, along with other members of Fairy Tail.

"Laxus is right, you know," Romeo whispered to her halfway through dinner. Wendy swiveled to face him with curiosity. "You're a hundred times better than Sting."

"Thanks for the compliment but I think you're overestimating me," Wendy told him. He shook his head vigorously.

"I'm not." He sounded so confident about it that Wendy felt a burgeoning warmth in her chest. "When we perform in the Games, you'll see." He wouldn't say anymore, but he didn't need to. Everything that he meant to convey was said by the warmth of his hand in hers as they walked together to the guild hall.

Like usual, she wasn't one of the first ones there, but it didn't make today any less _unusual_. The guild hall was filled much faster and there were still fifteen minutes before practice was set to begin when everyone was in their seats. Laxus didn't say anything to them; he just gave them a confirming nod and every member brought their instruments to their mouths, ready to play.

It was beautiful. Perhaps the word that Wendy would truly use to describe it would be glorious. Their guild moved as one, with not a single note out of place. They swelled with the fortissimos, quieted with the pianissimos, and adapted to the time changes in an instant. Wendy knew she wasn't far off the mark when she described it as their best practice. Even Laxus was happy, and he had been the hardest on them from the beginning. Somehow, the day's events had lit a fire under Fairy Tail and they were all too prepared to rise to the challenge of defeating Saber Tooth and putting the rivalry to rest. The announcement that Natsu and Gajeel's combo would be representing them in the Experimental contest only served to sweeten the practice.

Fairy Tail left its guild hall that night in high spirits. Lucy and Levy were eagerly discussing their sheet music with Mirajane while both Cana and Erza were in a debate over whether the woodwinds or the brass control the band. Lisanna intervened by stating it was actually the percussionists, which drew her into a battle royale that was only stopped when Ultear stepped in. For her part, Wendy found herself in a conversation with Meredy.

"Look, all I'm saying is that oboes rarely have any sort of prominence, so the entire band should really give them a chance when it's their time to shine," Meredy argued. Wendy folded her arms as she listened while they walked.

"I'm not disagreeing, but an oboe's more of a background instrument, isn't it? Sort of like a bassoon."

"That's the problem right there!" Meredy complained. "We're only considered to be background by most of the band so we can never stand out. If the band could just quiet down for a moment…"

"Good luck asking for that. There's two of you against every other instrument," Wendy pointed out while Meredy huffed in defeat. Wendy smiled, though not because she enjoyed winning, but because when discussing music she felt like she was in her element.

"Hey, Freshies, hurry up or we'll leave without you," called the slurred voice of Cana. Wendy turned to Meredy, who looked equally befuddled.

"Where are we going?" Wendy asked as she sped up to break even with the other girls.

"Girl's night at your cabin," Cana said, throwing her arm around the bluenette. "Erza doesn't want us sneaking out tonight, so this turned out to be the only acceptable option. You okay with that, Wendy?"

"Of course," Wendy answered, her face torn between astonishment and a smile. Cana smirked and pulled the girl closer to her as they walked up the porch steps and entered in. Practically the second they stepped inside, Cana let go of Wendy and threw herself on Lucy's bed.

"Why is it that people always pick my bed first? !" Lucy shrieked before attempting to shove Cana off her bed. "You are _not_ staying here tonight!"

"Don't be that way, Lucy. Now, let's bring out the booze!" Cana yelled triumphantly, bringing out her own bottle.

"Then you'll totally crash here," Lucy said with a scowl. "I'm not moving you off the floor if you do."

"No alcohol, Cana," Erza warned. A frown flitted across Cana's face, but she quickly shrugged it off and took another drink. "We have minors here and I'm not getting myself or them in trouble for your drinking problems."

Wendy giggled under her breath as she continued getting her stuff ready for bed. Erza was very obviously referring to a time when Wendy had been invited to stay overnight at Lucy's. Along with her were Erza, Juvia, and Levy. Despite being so much younger, she got along with the girls and somehow, during the night, they'd gotten a hold of Lucy's dad's alcohol. Erza ended up smashing Lucy's phone angrily, Lucy then used Levy's phone in an attempt to drunk dial Natsu, Levy decided to run around the house naked, Juvia cried all night over Gray, and Wendy had learned this all secondhand because she had passed out after one glass. Obviously, Erza was not looking for a repeat performance. Neither was Wendy, to be truthful.

"Why don't we just play a few card games?" Mira asked, bringing out a pack of cards. Cana perked up at this, but was all too stifled when Mira threw her a withering look. "It's no fair to everyone else if you play, Cana. You know that."

"Fine, Mira. I guess I'll find other ways to entertain myself," Cana said with a burp afterwards. She then hauled her trumpet case onto her lap and unlatched it. From within, she pulled a smaller box. "All right, people, bets are open."

"Bets for what?" Meredy asked as she returned from the bathroom. She stepped over the group of Erza, Ultear, Mira and Lisanna playing their game and sat next to Wendy on her bed.

"We're placing bets on our breast sizes, what else?" Cana said dully with a snort tacked on at the end. Wendy flushed at what Cana had said. She was still growing! So what if she wasn't as big as Lucy or the other girls. Cana saw this and instantly proceeded to laugh. "I'm joking Wendy. Gosh, you're red as a tomato. No, it's betting time for who's taking who to the Dance Festival."

Wendy hadn't thought it possible, but her face got even redder at the mention of that. Of course, everybody's eyes just happened to be on her at that time. Lucy snapped up, too, to stare at Wendy in scrutiny. It only took a moment for her eyes to widen and her mouth to fall open. "Oh my…you already have a date, Wendy?"

"I-it's just as friends," Wendy protested for what felt like the millionth time that day. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having.

"Look, Wendy," Cana said, pointing a finger at the younger girl, "guys and girls can't just be friends unless they're taken. So you may want to think this is some friendly date-dance thing, but I'll bet you that he's not, and deep down, you probably consider it the same thing."

"Don't torment the poor girl about her love life," Mira said, looking up from her card game. "Why don't you focus on your own?"

"Take your own advice. Besides, I'm good," Cana said, taking another swig from her bottle. "Me and Bacchus are just drinking buddies; nothing sexual or intimate. Hell, the only reason we're going to this thing together is to try and spike the punch."

"Ha, that's why there won't _be_ any punch!"

"You're such a killjoy, Mira," Cana said with a vehement glare. "So, anyway, who's our little Wendy going with to the dance?"

"I'd think that would be obvious," Erza said with a flick of her hair. "I'm surprised Mira hasn't figured it out."

Almost at once, the voices of Juvia, Levy, Lucy and even Ultear said in a very singsong voice, "Romeo!" Wendy instantly buried her face in her knees from embarrassment. She couldn't believe this was actually the topic of conversation for the evening. She felt the bed dip next to her a little and an arm fall around her shoulder. Wendy looked up to see Lisanna comforting her.

"Don't worry about it, Wendy. We've been teasing Lucy and Levy about Natsu and Gajeel for the last three years," she assured the younger girl.

"Only because you gave up on Natsu once you realized he was such a man-child," Lucy said with her own blush. "I kind of would have preferred them to tease you."

"Well, I moved onto Bickslow."

"And who knows why…" Levy said, her face clearly disturbed.

"What can I say…I find those eyes sexy," Lisanna said with a shrug.

"That is too many different kinds of disturbing," Cana commented. "Though, probably not as disturbing as Elfman and Evergreen hooking up…likely in a bathroom stall." Mirajane gave a horrendous squeak of pain and buried her face in her hands, like she didn't want to envision it. Ultear gave a chuckle as she finished playing her hand.

"If you think that's disturbing," she began with a smirk, "then just ask Max who he's taking to the dance."

"Juvia thought he was going with Laki," Juvia said bemusedly. Ultear chuckled again.

"I'm pretty sure Laki's just the beard for his sick and twisted relationship."

"If you're saying that Max is gay for Warren, then I'm clairvoyant," Cana said. "I totally called that years ago." The mention of clairvoyance momentarily pulled Wendy away from the conversation and onto thoughts of her cat, Carla. Carla could sometimes show moments of clairvoyance when she could avoid accidents like she knew they were coming, especially when Happy couldn't. Of course, maybe Happy was just stupid.

"Nah, Warren's into younger girls like Wendy here, and I'm pretty sure Fried's the only one who is gay for someone, but then I also thought he liked Mira for years, so I could be off," Ultear finished explaining. "I'm afraid Max's relationship is far creepier. Just ask Meredy."

Next to Wendy, Meredy rolled off the bed as though she were being tortured. "My poor eyes…Why'd you have to remind me of that, Ultear?"

"I'm lost now…" Lucy said with a raised eyebrow.

"Two words: Max, Broom." It took a moment for the disturbing comprehension to settle over their faces, but Wendy just didn't want to think about it at all. Eventually, Cana sighed.

"Ah, well, I guess I have to close the bets for Wendy now that everyone knows. Bets are still running for you people, so make me some money!"

"What would Gildarts say if he knew you were betting on people's dating lives?" Lucy asked with a shake of her head.

"My old man? He's fronting the money for these bets," Cana admitted. "He's already put money down on our top four couples: Natsu and Lucy, Gajeel and Levy, Erza and Jellal, and Gray and Juvia." The four mentioned girls blushed harder than Wendy had. Wendy had to stifle a laugh thanks to Lucy's face attempting to hide the secret from last night. That uncomfortable situation came to an abrupt end when Cana's face got unusually serious, and almost sober. "But enough of this dance talk. Let's talk about these Games."

"Who are you planning on putting up for sectionals?" Juvia asked. Wendy sat up straight, feeling how the atmosphere in the room had totally changed from a second ago.

"Gray's the only one, yeah? He's got a score to settle with Rufus and everything," Cana said, her drink left by the wayside.

"He'll have it tough," Lisanna noted with a finger on her chin. "You just know that he'll be going up against both Lyon and Kagura."

"Gray-sama will come out the victor!" Juvia claimed.

"Then who are you putting up for the clarinets?" Lisanna continued. "I mean, Evergreen won't tell me whether it's her, me, or Nab, so I'm wondering everyone else's picks for sectionals." Wendy's ears perked up, hoping that she'd hear Juvia's choice. Her fellow clarinetist chuckled, however.

"Juvia will not announce until tomorrow."

"There's not much option between myself and Meredy," Ultear said.

"I'm not planning on announcing until tomorrow evening either," Mira said with a smile. Up above, on her bunk, Levy sighed.

"That means it's probably you, Lu-chan," she said. Lucy attempted to protest but was drowned out by Erza.

"I'm the only viable option for Bass Clarinets," she stated with a frown. "That just leaves drums, baritones, trombones, and saxophones."

"Heh, should make tomorrow night interesting," Cana added with a smirk. "Scratch that, this should make the _Games_ interesting. Let's just hope we can knock Saber Jerks down a peg."

"They really look down on us, huh?" Wendy asked, the first thing she'd said in a while.

"Let them," Erza said. "Words mean nothing when we do our battle with music. If we do our best, then we'll see what they truly have to offer."

"Right. This is our year to prove how much we love Fairy Tail," Mira said with gusto.

"All right, girls, hands in!" Cana exclaimed and she put her hand out. Wendy and the others quickly joined her. "From here on out, we remain as one. We're Fairy Tail, so let's show them all just what kind of guild we are."

"Aye!" the girls yelled together before withdrawing their hands. Wendy felt pleased with that declaration and as she played a few card games and joined the others in random gossip, she felt more fired up than ever.

* * *

To Wendy (and her friends') surprise, the next day's practice was astonishingly smooth. No fights broke out, and indeed the show was simply coming together in all the best ways possible. There was still some tension residing on the field between Fairy Tail and Saber Tooth, but Wendy hardly paid any mind to it. The show was almost complete and that was all that would matter. In two days' time, the Games would begin and she could focus on the guild rivalry then. Thanks to the uneventful day, the drum majors were actually able to say that the show was complete.

"But remember that Director Makarov will be observing us tomorrow to give the final word," Mira told them. "Also, don't forget that there are no sectionals tomorrow and marching practice is a half day, while there is also no guild practice. In other words, you get the afternoon off to prepare for the Festival."

A cry of jubilation split the air and even Wendy found herself hugging Chelia happily. When the two girls moved to pack away their clarinets, Chelia instantly began talking.

"Hey, since we have tomorrow afternoon off and we can leave the campgrounds, we should go dress shopping for the Festival. I mean, you have a date with Romeo-" Here, Wendy sighed but was too weary to contradict her. "…so, we have to make sure that you look good. It's the perfect opportunity."

Her talk continued on like this for a while, with Wendy wishing she could be delivered from the rant about love. Her wish came true when Lucy and Levy arrived, saying they wanted a word with her and she gratefully departed. Sure, Chelia was her best friend, but anytime something even remotely related to love came up she would simply not stop talking. It drove Wendy insane. As she walked away, she went to throw a goodbye wave to her friend and caught on to a strange sight. Minerva was on her phone with a scowl on her face. It was different, though; instead of disdain, there seemed to be fear, especially since she was flinching every few seconds. Wendy just shrugged and hurried after Levy and Lucy to the dining hall.

"Hey, Luce, look what I can do!" Natsu yelled as soon as they arrived. He then threw three pieces of flaming chicken into the air before jumping to catch them in his mouth. He succeeded and let out a small breath of flame. "Pretty cool, aye?" Lucy giggled while Levy rolled her eyes.

"You're so immature, brother," Wendy scolded him. "Though I get the feeling that dad would be proud." Natsu gave his trademarked grin and was about to reply when the door slammed open clamorously.

"HEARTFILIA!" came Minerva's unrestrained screech. All four of the Fairy Tail members turned to the sound of the voice to find Minerva approaching them, her body heaving and her eyes alight with fury. In mere seconds she had reached Lucy and slapped her to the response of a collective gasp. "How dare you? ! How dare you contact your father? ! How dare you try to usurp my father's authority? ! You're nothing but a filthy peasant, unfit to lick royalty's shoe, much less use your money against them!" With every question and statement she gave came another slap, Minerva's nails digging into Lucy's skin each time. Everyone in the room was too shocked to even move.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Lucy gasped out in a reprieve between slaps.

"Don't play the dumb blonde card," she said with another slap. "I just got a call from my father and he tells me that your father's company just announced intentions to provide money to the program. You can't even imagine how furious he was."

"Actually, I think I can," Lucy whispered. Minerva heard it, though, because she roughly grabbed Lucy's cheeks.

"He was livid, you little bitch!" Wendy's eyes widened and she tilted her head to see her brother shaking with his own suppressed rage. "Now, here's what's going to happen, Fairy Trash. You'll tell your father to withdraw his funding, or we'll have another conversation like this very soon."

She then let Lucy crumple to the floor as she turned away. Like a stream breaking through rubble, Wendy and Levy approached Lucy, who tried to assure them that she was fine. Wendy could tell that she wasn't, though. Her cheeks were pink and raw with small rivulets of blood from where Minerva's nails had dug in. There were also tears falling down, but those were doubtless unintentional. That was when Natsu started moving forward.

"Hey, Minerva!" he called. The Saber Tooth musician stopped her progression and turned to look at him with idle curiosity.

"Natsu, don't…" Lucy warned. But Wendy knew that Natsu wasn't one to take many warnings. Those thoughts were soon proved true as Natsu Dragneel took a step forward and said two words that no one sane had likely ever spoken to Minerva Orlando in her life.

"Fuck off!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Big cliffhanger and the end of Act 1. Where will it go from here? I know. You don't and you'll have to wait a week. I want to make a point that I do NOT hate Sting and Rogue, I'm simply taking from their Games personalities here. Anyway, a huge part of this was inspired from GLORIA in general, both the chapter and the episode. By the way, freaking awesome episode, and the new opening…oh, the foreshadowing…my favorite plot device. Chapter was good too. Why are Gray's fights so much better than everyone else's? Back on topic, I appreciate all your reviews and favorites and follows. I just hope you guys can review more so I know what you think and can make a better story. That's all I have to say, so Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Wendy, why do you look like a little kid now? Your long hair had so much to offer…Well, it probably won't last forever, just like this story. But we still have far to go. Chapter 7 begin!**

* * *

Chapter 7

A stillness settled over the dining hall to the point that Wendy wasn't even sure if anyone was breathing. She, herself, had felt her breath catch, as well as an unnatural fear for her brother settle over her heart. Yet in the midst of all this, it seemed as though Natsu and Minerva were the only two people in the room. Natsu remained defiant, but Minerva's face was quickly changing to one of impassive rage as she realized that she likely couldn't intimidate the boy before her.

"What did you say to me?" she asked, her lip twitching menacingly.

"You heard exactly what I said," Natsu said angrily. "I'm sick of you acting so high and mighty. You and your entire guild."

"That's what royalty-"

"Oh, shut the fuck up already!" Natsu screamed at her. The confrontation was beginning to garner quite the large number of viewers now, but neither Natsu nor Minerva seemed daunted by this fact. "Royalty this, royalty that…You're like a broken record! You're just like the rest of us, Minerva. You don't deserve special treatment, you don't get special treatment."

"How dare you talk to me that way, Fairy Tail Trash?" Minerva said calmly, but the audience shivered in fear. Wendy, however, felt her face etch itself into a scowl and Natsu's look was one that could melt faces off, almost similar to a movie that they had once watched together.

"Another thing, you and your guild need to learn some manners," Natsu said angrily. He took a step towards Minerva and much to the crowd (and Wendy's) surprise, the girl took a step back. "In all the years that Fairy Tail won, we never once tried to push that on other people. All you people have done since you won is tried to lord it over everyone."

"Because we're the best. Trash like you should have learned that by now," Minerva told him coolly, her face losing its rage. In response, Natsu threw his head back and laughed.

"The best? How can you be considered the best when you didn't even beat _our_ best?" In the distance, Wendy could now see some other members of Fairy Tail approaching the argument. "You know that a bunch of our best players didn't even participate last year thanks to those rumors you started."

"Where's your proof, Dragneel?"

"I don't need proof, because it doesn't matter. We'll beat you this year!" Natsu proclaimed as he punched his fist into his open palm. Minerva raised an eyebrow, as if he were some impetuous child that she was indulging. "You see, you hurt Lucy, and that's a serious offense in my book. So I'm gonna make sure you never hurt anyone in this program ever again by beating your ass in the Games!" At this point, Natsu threw his arms out wide as he turned in a circle to look at the crowd.

"The age of Fairy Tail is over? Screw that, we're just getting started! If anything, the era of Saber Tooth's reign is at an end, and that starts with you, _princess_," he said mockingly.

"Words won't help you," Minerva said smugly.

"That's true, but when Natsu says something, he usually follows through," Erza said, at last emerging to stand by Natsu's side. Gray flanked the other side and even Cana joined them, leaning on Erza lazily with a bottle in her hand.

"You may doubt Natsu's words, but Fairy Tail never loses to the same guild twice," Gray proclaimed.

"It's true," Cana said, taking a drink. "Boast all you want Queen Bitch, but Fairy Tail's taking it home. Try all you want, you can't stop us…'cause we're Fairy Tail, bitches!" Cana raised her drink into the air and was met with a sudden roar of approval from the crowd, even from those who weren't Fairy Tail.

Minerva smirked from the declaration and folded her arms. "Well, if you're that confident, then why don't we raise the stakes a little?"

"What are you talking about, Minerva?" Erza sighed out wearily.

"I think such boasting deserves a bet being placed on the table to settle this once and for all," she answered. "Should Saber Tooth win the Games this year, you'll all agree to the program being shut down and rebuilt the way myself and my father envision it."

"Preposterous!" Erza yelled, but Natsu threw a hand out in front of her.

"What do we get if Fairy Tail wins?"

"Impossible, so choose whatever you'd like," Minerva said with a dismissive wave. Natsu then grinned madly.

"Good. If Fairy Tail wins, then you leave the program and the school forever!" The bet echoed through the hall, dampened only by the number of murmurings in the crowd. Minerva's lip twitched a bit, but she refused to answer Natsu.

"I think that's an excellent proposal, Natsu. I'm glad to see you using your brain for once," called an elderly voice. All eyes turned to see Director Makarov enter into the argument with a rather pleased grin on his face. "Well, Minerva, you proposed the bet, so do you not agree to the terms?"

"I-I'm not-" Minerva spluttered out. It was the only time Wendy had ever truly seen her lose her cool and resort to inelegant blubbering. Her face looked so confused as she stumbled over her words, as though she couldn't believe the bet they had come up with.

"Should Fairy Tail win, you and your father will leave Magnolia High forever. Should Saber Tooth win, I will step down and allow your father full control over the rebuilding of the program."

"Gramps, are you sure?" Gray asked worriedly. He was instantly silenced by a glare from Makarov before the director turned back to Minerva with expectation. She seemed agitated but soon after sighed.

"Very well, I agree to your terms," she conceded, leaving the crowd to let out even more mutterings than before. Makarov smiled widely.

"Excellent. Then if both yourself and Natsu can come with me to my office, we can draw up some paperwork so that neither of us reneges on the deal," he said, motioning towards the exit. Minerva scowled but turned in its direction. "Levy, Wendy, if you could escort Lucy to the nurse's station, I would most appreciate it."

"I'll come pick you up from there, Luce!" Natsu said before he trotted after the director and Minerva. Lucy sighed as Levy slung her arm around her and the three girls began to make their way from the dining hall. When they were finally clear of prying eyes, Lucy finally lost it.

"That idiot! He bet the whole program just because Minerva slapped me around a bit?" she snapped angrily.

"A bit? You're bleeding onto my arm, Lu-chan," Levy said.

"Oh…sorry, Levy." Levy just laughed. Wendy smiled a little.

"Don't worry, Lucy. Auntie Porlyusica will fix you up in no time," she assured the older girl. Lucy smiled but winced as she did so and a hush fell amongst them for a moment. "You know, I think Natsu cares about you more than you think he does."

"Wh-what? Where did that come from, Wendy?" Lucy asked, completely flustered.

"The boy's clearly in love with you," Levy pointed out. "I mean, sure, he goes ballistic for all his friends, but standing up to Minerva was in a class of its own."

"Natsu does _not_ love me," Lucy denied. Wendy raised an eyebrow.

"I notice that you didn't deny the fact that you love him," Levy said with a twinkle in her eyes. Lucy flushed but didn't attempt to deny it. "Just tell him. I'm sure you'll feel better."

"Levy, love does not exist for people our age, okay? Besides, I don't want to-"

"He does love you, though…well, as much as he can," Wendy piped up, causing both of the older girls to affix her with a stare. "He told me as much, once."

"Then why hasn't he said anything to me?" Lucy asked as their feet finally hit the steps of the nurse's station.

"He says that actions speak louder than words."

"Of course he would," Lucy said exasperatedly. "Ugh, thanks for telling me, Wendy. You should get some dinner. Levy and I can handle it from here." Wendy cast her a skeptical look but decided to take her advice and left for the dining hall once again. As she walked away, she could have sworn she heard some banging noises from inside and smiled.

There was comparatively little time left for Wendy to grab dinner, but thankfully Erza had been prepared and had a fresh plate waiting for her. Wendy snarfed it down without a second thought and joined both Gray and Erza on their way to the guild hall. When she arrived there, she wasn't surprised to find it in full gossip mode about the events that had taken place in the dining hall. She departed from the older musicians to join her section where Romeo was discussing the topic animatedly with Laki. Wendy ignored it and all other things until Laxus stood before them.

"Here's how tonight's gonna go," he said to them, his face being abnormally serious, "we're gonna spend three hours on ensemble practice before we split. During the last hour, we have small band practice and the sectional participants can practice as well. Now, get up here section leaders." In less than a minute, all ten section leaders stood before the band. Mirajane was the first to step forward.

"Competing for the flutes will be…Lucy Heartfilia," Mira said happily. A loud round of applause followed as Lucy stood, her face covered in bandages. Juvia was next and Wendy found herself on the edge of her seat.

"Juvia has decided that the one who will compete for the clarinets…is Wendy Marvell-Dragneel!" Wendy, smiling with embarrassment, stood up and gave a small wave. At the cheers that followed, she felt a sense of pride fill her and the desire to prove the Juvia's choice was not misplaced. Her eyes soon found Romeo who gave her the widest grin imaginable and she found that same smile creep onto her face.

The announcements began to come quickly after Wendy sat down. Meredy would be performing for the oboes (Wendy gave her a thumbs up at this), Erza was the only one for the bass clarinet, Gajeel was to play for saxophones, Gray on trumpet, Bickslow on trombone, Elfman on baritone, Lisanna on tuba, and Laxus announced that he would be taking drums (even against Natsu's protests). All in all, it looked to be a stellar team, and that combined with the flawless ensemble performance they pulled off only served to encourage their chances of winning.

The members of Fairy Tail left the guild hall that night in high spirits.

* * *

The following morning at Crocus Fields dawned with an abnormal amount of activity. The entire place was buzzing excitedly and Wendy's cabin was even more so. Lucy and Juvia had been up the earliest, eagerly getting out makeup and all manner of things to prepare for the dance that evening. Erza was the only one amongst the girls who had actually brought a dress (along with every other clothing known to mankind) and had hung it on the bedpost before all seven girls went to the dining hall together.

"Juvia was not asked to the dance by Gray-sama," Juvia lamented with a pout. "But Juvia will not despair! If Gray-sama will not ask Juvia, then Juvia will ask Gray-sama!"

"You go, Juvia," Levy cheered her on. Ultear stifled a chuckle while Lucy couldn't.

"By the way, Levy, did Gajeel even ask you?" Lucy asked as they were getting their breakfast.

"If you count him saying, 'Shrimp, you, me, dance,' as asking me, then yes." Wendy snorted at Levy's impression of her cousin as she finished buttering her toast. "He's just shy."

"Or stubborn," Wendy commented as they finally sat down at one of the tables.

"Gaji's just not good with feelings," Juvia said.

"That's right. I've forgotten that you've known him longer than everyone here but Wendy," Lucy noted.

"If you count being tossed around by an exuberant two-year old as a baby to be knowing him."

"My goodness, Wendy, I think you're spending too much time with Romeo," Erza clucked. "You're becoming far too snarky for your own good. I miss the sweet little girl who used to steal Lucy's candy with me."

"That was you? !" Lucy shrieked. "First it's Natsu and my room, now you? !"

Erza gave a fake little smile. "Um…no. Oh, look at that, Jellal's calling me. I'll see you on the practice field."

Of course, Jellal was nowhere in sight, but Erza was long gone before Lucy noticed that fact. She thankfully didn't turn her anger and indignation on Wendy, though, and the bluenette was allowed to eat in peace. Of course, there was still the occasional chatter such as Meredy stating how happy she was to be going to the dance on her own, or Ultear's vehement denial that she and Gray were involved in any way ("He's like my brother, so it'd be creepy!"). Still, Wendy started skipping towards the field arm in arm with Meredy and a complete look of joy on her face. Chelia ambushed her once she'd arrived.

"Excited for tonight?"

"Yeah!" Wendy confirmed, offering an exuberant wave to Romeo as he approached.

"So, how're my two favorite girls?" Romeo greeted, slinging his arms around them. Wendy blushed, but Chelia started a conversation with him that only ended when the drum majors called the band to order. Once they were all in position, Wendy noticed Director Makarov and the other teachers standing upon a new scaffold that allowed them to overlook the field.

It was upon the director's order that practice, or rather finalization, began. The band moved as one. There were a few shoddy moments here and there, Wendy felt, but the show seemed to move rather seamlessly and when they all finished, the teachers gave a polite applause as praise. Director Makarov made them run it a few more times to be safe, but eventually nodded his head as he brought a megaphone to his lips.

"Good job, brats," Makarov announced to them with a smile. "I'm proud to say that we've developed a good show this year and I think we'll have a strong performance in this year's competitions. Now, a few end of camp notices to give you before your heads become so full with thoughts about the Games that you forget.

"First, all guilds are to report to their guild hall tomorrow morning to receive their guild colors for the Games. If you're late, you're out. After we conclude the Games, we'll have uniform fittings on the last day. As soon as you've picked up your uniform, you'll be free to leave. Also, starting the week before school we will begin to have practices twice weekly until the end of marching season. That's all I have for you, so go have fun. Tomorrow the Grand Music Games begin!"

The crowd cheered briefly before dispersing, most of them chatting idly about the night's upcoming festivities. Wendy smiled about it as she packed away her instrument, even ignoring all of Chelia's jabbering. Her pleasant musing was brought to an abrupt halt when the fourteen-year old felt Lucy grab her arm.

"Come on, Wendy. We've totally got to get ready for tonight," she said brightly, and before Wendy knew it, she was being dragged away like Lucy was a kidnapper. Thankfully, their progress was quickly impeded.

"Yo, Lucy, aren't you coming to the pool?" Wendy heard Natsu ask. She looked up at the sound of her brother's voice and saw both him and Romeo there. Lucy let go of Wendy and sighed.

"No. You do realize that girls actually take time to prepare for this sort of stuff," she scolded him.

Natsu shrugged before saying, "I don't see why. You're beautiful enough without all that fancy crap." It took only a second before Lucy's fist made contact with the back of Natsu's head.

"Not here, pyro," she said through gritted teeth. "I though we agreed to not broadcast stuff like that around others."

"It's just Wendy and Romeo," Natsu whined in protest. Lucy wasn't amused.

"You do realize that we both know you're going to the dance together, right?" Romeo asked with a quirked eyebrow. Lucy stopped her attack on Natsu to blink at the boy while Wendy suppressed a laugh.

"Did you tell them?"

"No!"

"We spied on you," Wendy confessed. She really couldn't stand lying, and though Lucy was annoyed by their knowledge of this, she didn't seem to be particularly infuriated.

"Look, we just wanted to hang out at the pool since it's the first time we've had a chance to," Romeo said in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "All the other guys will probably be there too."

"Romeo…" Lucy said in a teasing voice and Wendy could already feel a sense of foreboding. "Is this some lame attempt to see Wendy in a bikini?" Yep, there it was.

"Lucy, that's so inappropriate!" Wendy whined. However, at the same time her mind was drawn to the swimsuit that was packed in her suitcase. It probably was too revealing, but if Romeo…No! She shouldn't be thinking like that. _Don't let Cana's words get to you_, she repeated in her head. Of course, judging by the accidental redness on Romeo's face, he was probably already imagining it. That made Wendy feel even more self-conscious.

"Hey, that's my sister!" Natsu protested loudly. "Don't go talking about her like that!"

"You do realize Wendy's fourteen years old, right Natsu?" Lucy pointed out. The scowl didn't leave Natsu's face.

"Doesn't mean I want to see her in the same kind of stuff that I see you in…"

"Aw, Natsu, does that mean you like seeing me in a bikini?" Lucy asked with a girlish giggle tacked on at the end.

"Honestly, I've practically seen you naked, so the novelty of it's kind of worn off."

"Shut up!" Their younger companions laughed at the two's antics. Wendy was practically doubled over while Romeo had thrown his head back with gasps of laughter.

"I'm glad to see my children are having fun," said a gruff male voice that made Wendy stop laughing. She whipped around and her eyes lit up at the sight of her father standing there.

"Dad!" she said happily. Not caring much for image, she ran to him and hugged him tightly as Natsu quickly did the same thing. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to watch the Games this year," Igneel said with a grin.

"Mom's here, too?" Natsu asked. "But you guys never actually come for the Games."

"That's because we never had a chance to," Igneel confessed with a dubious scratching of his head. "But with both our kids in the program this year, we figured it'd be a great opportunity. Not to mention you gave us that phone call, Natsu."

"When did you call mom and dad?" Wendy asked, her lips turned into a pout. Natsu crumbled under the younger girl's gaze and immediately adopted a look that plainly asked for forgiveness.

"When I was in gramps' office yesterday," Natsu admitted. "I knew you didn't have a dress for tonight so I called them."

"Yeah, Grandine's with the clothes in the car," Igneel said, pointing in the direction of the parking lot. "Probably shouldn't keep her waiting. You can come along, Lucy, and you too…uh…"

"R-Romeo Conbolt, sir. I'm a f-friend of Wendy and Natsu," the young boy stuttered nervously. Igneel inspected him for a moment before laughing loudly and thumping him on the back.

"All right, come on!" The red-haired man then turned in the direction he had come from and began to lead their troupe. While they walked, Wendy snuck in a hug with her brother.

"You know, you're the best brother ever."

"Don't you forget it," Natsu said playfully, flicking his little sister's nose. She wrinkled it before bumping her brother as they saw the form of their mother getting closer. Wendy instantly took to waving at her mother. Grandine quickly stepped forward and caught her daughter in a hug.

"I missed you, mama. I'm happy to see you," Grandine chuckled lightly and comfortingly.

"And I'm happy to see you…and Natsu, of course," she said as an afterthought. "Now, I have your dress in the car along with Natsu's dress clothes."

"Hey, I just called for Wendy," Natsu said in protest. Grandine simply frowned at her son.

"And you have about as much dress sense as your friend Gray does," she scolded. Grandine then caught sight of Lucy and smiled at her. "Lucy, your father won't be able to make it out here until tomorrow so he sent you a dress with us."

"Let me guess, another business deal?" Lucy inquired wearily.

"Nah, just supply negotiations with Metallicana's metal company," Igneel informed her with a shake of his head. "When will that Bolts-for-Brains learn that family is more important than work."

"Coming from the man who's attending the Games to cover it for the Magnolia Times," Grandine said dryly. Igneel blanched while his son laughed raucously.

"Grandine, do you mean to anger the great Igneel?" Of course, the "great" Igneel found himself at his wife's mercy only a few seconds later.

"Don't be such an ass. Girls, why don't you get your dresses?" Wendy and Lucy nodded, opting for silence under the sight of Grandine gripping Igneel's ear so harshly. The two quickly grabbed their dresses and Lucy looked onto Wendy's sky blue dress with admiration.

"Wow, yours looks so pretty, Wendy," Lucy commented as she slung her pink dress over her shoulders. Wendy smiled a little uncomfortably, which only ratcheted up when she saw Romeo standing there so awkwardly. Unfortunately, her mother also noticed him.

"Who's this?" she asked, letting go of her husband's ear and dusting her hands off. "Don't tell me that my precious little Wendy's already found a boyfriend."

"O-oh no, ma'am," Romeo said nervously. Wendy would have laughed if she didn't feel pity for him. "I'm Romeo Conbolt. I'm a f-"

"I'm only teasing you, young man," Grandine said with a wink. "But you seem respectful enough, so I'm glad to have met you."

"L-likewise." Romeo looked as though his nerves were about to give out, so Wendy walked over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, which seemed to calm him down. Grandine smile approvingly before turning back to her husband.

"Well, we're meeting Porlyusica for dinner at the Honey Bone Hotel, so we should really head back to the city. I'm sure Happy and Carla are getting antsy, too. We left them there."

"That woman hates me," Igneel grumbled. Grandine slapped him on the back of his head. "Children, if I'm dead tomorrow, please make sure to put 'Loving Father' on my tombstone."

"Shut up, Igneel," Grandine chided. Wendy's father seemed to be pacified by this. "You'll be just fine. We'll see the two of you tomorrow, so take care of yourselves until then, okay?"

Natsu and Wendy then bade their parents farewell as they got back into the car and began to drive towards the heart of the city of Crocus. Natsu shook his head with a laugh while Wendy couldn't help but agree. Sometimes their parents could be such a riot. That thought having been expressed, the quartet went back towards the camp. In the distance, they could see a few kids playing a game of kickball whilst they could also hear some screams that seemed to have radiated from the pool. Wendy's brother appeared to scowl at this, but let it pass off and replaced it with a grin. The girls and boys soon separated and went towards their respective cabins.

As soon as Wendy put a foot inside their cabin, chaos was unleashed. It appeared that Mirajane and Lisanna had stopped by for preparations and as soon as they caught sight of Wendy, they instantly pulled her in like a vacuum cleaner. After that, Wendy was subjected to what she viewed as hours of torturous preparations. Sure, she liked to feel feminine once in a while, but Wendy never envisioned spending an equal amount of time applying makeup as she was actually going to spend at the event.

The end result made her feel pretty, though. While she certainly knew it was herself that she was looking at in the mirror, she couldn't deny the fact that she looked very different. For some reason, Mira had taken her naturally straight hair and made it wavy, adorning it with a star clip on her right side. Combined with her blue dress, it almost made her look ethereal, or as Lucy so cheerfully put it, "Like a maiden of the sky!" It gave Wendy the confidence boost she needed by the time there was a knock on the cabin door.

"Wendy, Lu-chan, your boyfriends are here to pick you up!" Levy called. Wendy sighed but Lucy took her comfortingly by the arm and led the both of them outside where Natsu and Romeo were waiting together.

"Wow, Lucy, you look better than I remember!" Natsu said as she took Lucy's hand. Wendy rolled her eyes; either her brother was trying somewhat poorly for a compliment or he had actually forgotten that he had seen her just a few hours beforehand.

"Wendy," Romeo greeted, pulling at his collar. Wendy was surprised to see him in his dark red dress shirt, since she wouldn't have thought he would bring one, but then she realized that he probably got one from his visiting parents like she had. "You, uh, you look nice."

"Thanks," she responded with a smile as they linked arms together and proceeded towards the dining hall. The sun was starting to set, casting a burning glow over the fields that the duo looked over. It was a serene and peaceful look that made Wendy feel at ease. She turned to look at Romeo, and in the light of the sun, he appeared to be burning. It was a little impressive and made Wendy blush a bit. Thankfully, she was able to get her voice working. "So, I've never actually been to one of these things with someone else."

"Neither have I, really," Romeo confessed. "I don't really know what you're supposed to do at dances besides…you know, dance."

"Same here," Wendy said in an exhale. She was _very _appreciative of the fact that she wouldn't be alone in not knowing what to do. "Though I'm not a very good dancer. Clumsy and all…"

"Neither am I, so at least we'll both have sore feet!" Romeo joked. Wendy laughed as they entered the doors to the dining hall.

It was like the room had transformed. Instead of the numerous tables that usually dotted the landscape of the room, there was only one large table with a number of soda cans and bottled water along with a buffet of food that Natsu was quite eagerly digging into. A stage was set up against the far wall where Laxus was sitting with a disgruntled look as music blasted over the speakers. On the wall opposite were numerous booths that seemed to have sign-ups for numerous competitions.

"So…what do we want to do first?" Romeo asked. Wendy scanned the area with a finger on her chin.

"Let's check out the competitions," Wendy said brightly. Romeo nodded, as though it were a good decision. The two made their way to the booths and saw the five contests: karaoke, pageant, throwing, dancing, and to Wendy's great surprise, eating. Naturally, Natsu and Lucy's name was on every single one of them.

"Wendy, I'm not doing karaoke or pageant with you," Romeo said warningly. Wendy chuckled out her agreement, knowing that she didn't have enough self confidence for either of those things. However, after a bit of discussion, the two had put their names down in the couples category for both dancing and throwing. Neither of them expected to win, but they still wanted to have fun. Gildarts, who was manning the last booth, sent them on their way with a wink as they went to get food.

"Juvia, my love, you have arrived!" called the voice of Lyon, who Wendy saw dash to the entrance in a gallant manner. "You need not attend this Festival alone, for I am here."

"She looks more uncomfortable with him here than on her own," Romeo pointed out. It was true: Juvia looked more agitated than when Wendy had left the cabin. Though, whether it was because Gray wasn't here yet or because Lyon was, she couldn't be sure. With a shake of her head, she turned back to the food and froze.

"Let's go, Romeo," she said, trying to pull him away. The boy wouldn't budge.

"What's wrong? I'm hungry…" he whined in protest. Wendy was quite adamant, however.

"I hate pickled plums…" Wendy squeaked out as she averted her eyes from the sight of the detestable food. Romeo quirked an eyebrow, but picked up both plates of food and brought them over to a wall where they could eat in peace. He had just finished his own dinner when he started laughing.

"I'm sorry…I didn't know you hated pickled plums!" he laughed out. Wendy glared at him.

"It's not funny!"

"Actually, it kind of is…but that's okay," Romeo said. Suddenly, Wendy felt herself pulled to Romeo in a one-armed hug. "I'll protect you from the big bad fruit."

"Stop making fun of me," Wendy said. Considering he had stopped laughing, however, she wasn't sure if he ever had been. So, she chose to finish her food in silence. When she was done, Romeo took her plate away and returned to her side as they proceeded to people watch.

Gajeel arrived with Levy, his hair slicked back in an unnatural fashion and tied into a ponytail behind him, while Levy pretty much looked the same as always. Meredy and Ultear had come together on account of both having no dates. Meredy quickly greeted both Wendy and Romeo and then watched the show as Gray tired to sneak in (he had already lost his shirt, but not his jacket) but was quickly caught by Juvia and Lyon. Elfman and the one called Evergreen arrived soon after, bickering the whole way, followed closely by Lisanna and Bickslow.

"Yukino, you look so pretty," gushed Lucy when she saw a silver-haired flutist from Saber Tooth arrive arm in arm with Rogue. Rogue appeared to be disinterested but Yukino was more than happy to have an animated conversation with her fellow flutist.

Scowls passed over both Wendy and Romeo's faces when Sting arrived on his own. In fact, other than Rogue and Yukino, it appeared that all of the Saber Tooth musicians were arriving alone, and Minerva didn't show up at all. Other guilds weren't quite so snubbing, with some inter-guild relationships being obvious to Wendy while Romeo pointed others out with humorous little anecdotes. Chelia arrived, too, chatted them up briefly and then left to insert herself into the Gray-Juvia-Lyon love triangle. The biggest bomb dropped when Erza arrived in her yellow dress.

"I knew it!" Mira screeched from the stage where she had been talking to Laxus. "You really thought you could hide your relationship with Jellal from me? !"

"Yes, Mira, Jellal and I are dating," Erza said with a confident smirk; a far cry from her reaction the other nights. "Perhaps you'd like to tell everyone about _your_ secretive relationship."

"Th-that's not important!" Mira said defensively, having clearly lost the battle between herself and Erza.

"Like everybody in the guild doesn't already know that she and Laxus have an on-again-off-again relationship," Romeo said with a scoff. Clearly, Mira didn't think this way because she brushed off the subject in order to announce the beginning of the contests.

"We'll start with the karaoke contests," Mira announced with a smile, shaking off her previous confrontation. "Singles will have prizes up to fifth place, while couples can only get prizes up to third."

"All right, Lucy, let's win this! I'm all fired up!"

"The hell you'll win, Salamander! Shoo-bee-doo-ba!"

"You sound like an idiot, Gajeel!"

"You wanna go, popsicle pants? !"

"I wasn't even talking to you, Fire Breath!" Wendy and Romeo shook their head and settled back to watch the all out brawl between the three most violent men in their guild.

In the end, Gray actually teamed up with Juvia before Lyon could in order to compete against the two of them which forced Lyon to team up with Chelia (who almost died of happiness). What followed could only be described as a travesty on every level. The Singles competition wasn't too bad, although the judges, who happened to be the teachers, simply gave Orga first place to shut him up. The couples made Wendy want to turn away and deny the fact that her and Natsu were actually related. Gajeel and Levy ended up taking first after Levy counter balanced her date's singing voice, Natsu and Lucy took second, with Gray and Juvia in third even though all of them were terrible. Erza lamented this fact, but Romeo stated that it was her fault for freezing up on the stage.

Next came the pageant, where Cana rocked the singles, which was no doubt aided by the fact that one of the judges was her father. When Erza and Jellal then took part in the couples portion, Wendy was glad that she and Romeo hadn't signed up, because they undoubtedly would have lost. This kind of premonition came true when the couple took first and Rogue and Yukino came in second while Lisanna and Bickslow amazingly took third thanks to their…unique attire.

Then Mira set up for the throwing competition which was a large booth with dolls on sticks that forced the competitors to test their aim by trying to hit them. Bacchus took the cup for singles with Meredy and Sting falling behind him. Seeing her fellow freshman win made Wendy excited to compete, but then she found out the new rules for the couples portion.

"The boys will be the throwers, but they'll be blindfolded, so it's up to the girls to lead them!" Mira said jubilantly. Romeo grumbled about this but still agreed when Wendy put the blindfold on him.

Sheer chaos was what came next as rubber balls flew in every direction. Some hit their mark, but most did not. Wendy, herself, almost got hit a few times by Elfman who was then attacked by a still blindfolded Natsu. This commotion severely cut down on their time limit, making all the scores pitifully low.

"Elfman and Evergreen come in first with five points," Mira said. "In second and third are Lyon and Chelia, and Sherry and Ren with four and three points respectively."

"Sorry we didn't do that well," Wendy apologized once Romeo had taken off his blindfold.

"Hey, you gave good instructions. I clearly just suck at throwing," Romeo muttered, his pride clearly hurt at scoring only one point. Wendy just linked her arm with his.

"Maybe we can do better this time." That was their hope, but when the singles competition finished (Vijeeter from their guild took first), Wendy found that her nerves couldn't be worse.

"Don't worry! We're just here to have fun," Romeo assured her as he took her hand and placed his other on her waist. The other couples around them did the same and when Mira and Laxus turned the music on all of them began to move. Both Wendy and Romeo tired desperately to avoid stepping on each other's toes and were barely able to. Other couples weren't so lucky, like an arguing Elfman and Evergreen. As the song seemed close to its end, Wendy sighed in relief before almost tripping over her feet. Romeo caught her, however, and in the end, Wendy hoped that it just looked like she had rested her head on his shoulder. Then Mira called time and conferred with the judges for results.

"In third place, we have Gray and Juvia, winning them a one day pass to Ryuzetsu Land in Crocus," Mira said happily. Wendy's eyes widened while Juvia squealed; clearly the prizes for this competition were much better than the others. Gray and Juvia accepted their prize together and then walked off the stage arm in arm. Juvia leaned her head on Gray's shoulder, and to everyone's surprise, Gray actually looked a little happy about it. They also seemed to disappear after that.

"Second place," Mira called to remind everyone that she was still there, "goes to our cutest couple, Wendy and Romeo, who get a pair of tickets to any attraction Rose Garden for an evening." Wendy flushed in embarrassment but went up with Romeo to grab her prize. "Finally, first place wins an all expenses paid dinner and play at Scherezade Theater in Onibus. That prize goes to…Natsu and Lucy."

"Hell yeah! Suck it, stripper!" Natsu cried as he and Lucy bounded onto the stage. Of course, Gray wasn't there to hear his taunt. Mira handed the two their prize before Natsu lifted it into the air. Then, to much squealing, clapping, and laughing, Natsu handed it off to Lucy and kissed her. She seemed shocked for a moment before eagerly kissing him back until the two fell off the stage.

"Hey, Wendy, wanna head out before that eating contest starts?" Romeo asked in between peals of laughter. Wendy nodded and took his hand as he led them outside where some students from Quattro Cerberus had started a bonfire.

"This was nice," Wendy commented. Romeo flashed her a grin.

"Good. I'm glad you had a nice time." After that, they sat in silence, staring at the stars and fire shining in tandem. It was comforting, like a reassurance of the future to come.

Wendy didn't know when it happened, but at some point, all the members of Fairy Tail joined them outside, as though their guild was sharing their hopes for the Games in that one moment. At this, Wendy just gripped Romeo's hand tighter. Tomorrow the Games would begin, but for that moment, Wendy was happy to be right where she was: next to Romeo and all of Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Author's Note: This was a supersized chapter and I didn't mean for it to be! Now we'll finally move on to what I've been building towards this whole story. After all, the stakes are raised imaginably high now. A quick note is that it is that time again where I may not post next week due to work on my other story but I will try my best. On another note: What. The. Hell? Silver, who are you really? But what's really awesome is that Wendy's going to get all the guilds involved…I still don't think it'll work but the girl gets points for effort. Also, the new episode made me cry manly tears. Still, tell me what you thought of this chapter, or the new chapter or episode of Fairy Tail in a review. Until next time, Dare to Be Silly.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Once upon a time in the Tenrou Arc, a man named Mest gave a creepy smile when Wendy was nearby and he was forever known as Pedoranbolt. Nevertheless, Wendy stuck around with him anyway, but I'm sure in her mind she needed a ten-foot long stick. Let's begin Chapter 8.**

* * *

Chapter 8

"You don't look so good, Meredy," Wendy commented. In truth, she probably felt just as bad as the pink-haired girl looked, huddled against the bedpost with wide eyes. All the euphoria from the previous evening had already drained out of the two freshmen.

"I'm so nervous…" the girl whispered so that only Wendy could hear. Wendy nodded, trying desperately to get her own nerves under control. Tentatively, she reached out and put a hand on Meredy's shoulder.

"We'll be fine," Wendy said with a smile. "Remember, Fairy Tail is supporting us all the way." This seemed to calm Meredy down because she stopped shaking and smiled. All at once, the ambient sounds of the cabin rushed back to them, as though their conversation had taken place in their own little world.

Erza was already prepared and was standing at the front of the cabin with a plateful of muffins that was half depleted while she waited for everybody. Juvia was sighing delightedly as Ultear watched her with a smile. Lucy was the happiest of all of them, almost singing to herself, though this action caused a disgruntled glance from Levy every time. Wendy, already dressed for the day's events, grabbed her clarinet case as Meredy fully recovered. She gave a brief hug of thanks to Wendy before leaving to freshen up quickly. Wendy took a deep breath, sucking in the air around her as she attempted to calm down.

"Juvia wouldn't worry," Juvia said with a smile to Wendy. "Juvia also performed her freshman year."

"What did you rank?" Wendy asked nervously. Juvia gave a little giggle at this.

"Fourth, but Fairy Tail still cheered for Juvia as if I had gotten first," Juvia answered and that thought lit a fire of warmth in Wendy's heart. Feeling better, Wendy took her once again straight hair and tied it behind her. At that moment, Meredy emerged from the bathroom and grabbed her own instrument case. Erza saw this.

"Let's go," she announced. She then turned around and led the remaining six girls from the cabin. The air outside was buzzing with noise and Wendy could swear that she saw more people than usual, especially people who looked far too old to be in the program. Wendy turned her eyes front again and saw the guild hall approaching, a number of their members entering in front of them.

To Wendy's surprise, Gildarts was in the hall, stationed near the front where Laxus would usually stand. The girls broke apart upon entering, with only Juvia and Wendy sticking together. The two of them made their way over to the milling group of clarinets who seemed to be waiting for them with their cases by their sides. Wendy sat hers down and put her clarinet together while also grabbing her sheet music.

"You ready?" Romeo asked from right next to her.

"I hope so…" Wendy said, adding a smile at the end. Romeo just gave her his own smile and patted her on the back. Before he could say anymore, Gildarts clapped his hands loudly and the entire guild hall was silenced, each and every head turning to look at him.

"All right, Fairy Tail, today's the day we've been waiting for," Gildarts said. "Laxus has informed me of all your choices for the upcoming competitions, so all that's left is to go over a few rules for the Games. First, all participating guild mates are required to wear their guild colors at all times." He then held up two articles of clothing which looked to be a red bandanna and an armband.

"This'll make it easier to identify you by guilds," he continued on. "Second, no sectional participants may join their guild until their scores are given. Lastly, all instruments are to be returned to the guild hall at nighttime where they will be kept under lock and key. Understood?" A chorus of agreement followed and Gildarts nodded approvingly.

"All right, Fairy Tail," Laxus called, drawing all the attention on to him, "huddle up!" All of the guild mates turned away from Gildarts and formed a crowd around Laxus, who stood like a solitary island in the middle. "Remember, as much as we want to win this, the most important goal is that we do our best. If we do that, then we're sure to come out on top. We all know the stakes here, so we just have to keep that in mind. That being said, let's kick some ass!"

"Aye, sir!" Natsu cried and the crowd dispersed. Gildarts immediately took the reins again.

"Okay, everyone in marching order, sectional participants at the head of each section." They all scrambled and Wendy soon found herself at the head of the clarinet section. Juvia put another comforting hand on her shoulder as Gildarts gave the order to march.

Wendy took a deep breath and stepped forward, her feet falling in tandem with the guild mates around her as they marched across the grass. It took only a few minutes for Wendy to catch sight of their destination. In fact, it was so large she had wondered how she hadn't caught sight of the stadium before (although the camp was rather large). Cheers were erupting from it and Wendy could see all the other guilds lining up like them at the entrances. Thankfully, because the clarinets were close to the front, Wendy could hear what was going on inside the stadium.

"Everybody, welcome to the Grand Music Games! I'll be your lead commentator and judge, Chapati Lola!" Another cheer went up at the sound of the man's name and Wendy figured that he must be popular. "Now, let's introduce our guilds to the marching field. First up, you don't want to mess with this manly band: it's Quattro Cerberus led by their guild leader this year, Bacchus Groh!"

"Wild! Fwooh!" A laugh came from the crowd and Wendy felt her palms start to sweat.

"Next is the complete antithesis to that guild, the ever feminine and ever lovely Mermaid Heel, led by Kagura Mikazuchi!"

"Marry me, Kagura!" came a cry from the crowd. Wendy couldn't help but snort with laughter.

"This guild is known for its good looking members. Will they take flight this year? Blue Pegasus, led by Hibiki Lates!" A number of sighs came from the crowd which Wendy took as them fawning over the guild members. "They're skilled and they're popular. Taking the field is Lamia Scale, led by Lyon Vastia!" Another outcry rose from the crowd, making it the most popular guild yet. Nothing compared to the next guild, though.

"They're number one and many musicians strong. Last year's champion, everyone welcome Saber Tooth led by Minerva Orlando!" The crowd whipped into a frenzy at their announcement and Wendy found herself scowling. The announcer didn't speak again until the cries died down. "Last but not least, once known as the best guild in Magnolia's Music Program, let's all welcome the guild with a heart of gold. Don't let the dainty name fool you; it's Fairy Tail, led by Laxus Dreyar!"

The guild began marching forward to enter the stadium and Wendy could already feel the vibrations of the cheers reverberating through her skin. It made her proud to be a member of Fairy Tail and when the guild finally stopped moving, she looked up with a bright smile. Seated in a box just above the stadium field were six individuals and Wendy could only guess that these were the judges. Before long, the one on Wendy's far right began speaking and she guessed that he must've been Chapati.

"Before we begin the Sectionals, allow me to introduce my other five judges," Chapati said enthusiastically. "Going from my right is Yajima, the local music aficionado, former member of the Fiore Musical Association and restaurant owner of 8island. Next to him is Mato, owner of Crocus Fields, and Jason, a reporter from Musician's Weekly. The two gentlemen on my far right are Lahar and Doranbolt; one's a member of the Fiore Musical Association and the other is a teacher at Magnolia Junior High."

Wendy gave a double take at the last name and peered up at the judges. Sure enough she noticed the form of her seventh grade music teacher and she almost blanched. He had been the teacher that she danced with and they hadn't exactly spoken since then. Of course, in this moment Wendy remembered that he was simply a judge here and they would likely never come into contact, which made her breathe easier. She heard a vague announcement for all non-participating members to leave the field.

"Good luck, Wendy," Romeo said. She came back to reality and gave him a quick high five.

"Juvia knows you will do your best!" Juvia said, giving her a small hug before she left the field with Romeo. Wendy nodded emphatically to herself before heading over to join the other participating clarinets.

"Now for Day One of the Grand Music Games we have Sectionals!" Chapati announced. "Ten sections with a member for each guild on each section. Each member will be ranked from first to sixth place. First place receives five points, second gets four points while sixth receives no points at all. This means that a guild can earn as much as fifty points or as little as zero points, but each guild should keep in mind that these points carry across all five days of the competition. So, now let's introduce the participating flutes!"

A round of applause went up from the crowd as the six participants strode onto the field in front of the stage that Wendy only just realized had been set up. Wendy noticed Lucy in the crowd with the most infectious smile on her face.

"Performing for the flutes," began the man named Lahar, "will be Warcry for Quattro Cerberus, Beth Vanderwood for Mermaid Heel, Eve Tearm for Blue Pegasus, Sherry Blendy for Lamia Scale, Yukino Agria for Saber Tooth and Lucy Heartfilia for Fairy Tail." A cheer had gone up with every name and Wendy could swear she heard Natsu when Lucy was called. She might have been wrong, though, since Chelia was screaming loudly for her cousin Sherry right next to her ear. When the screaming subsided, Wendy watched Warcry take the stage.

It was probably the worst performance she'd ever heard for a soloist. Even Chelia was cringing next to her as they both took pity on one another's ears. Once Warcry had finished his five minute performance of fumbled notes and pitchy-ness, the crowd was left with disconcerted murmurings to which Beth of Mermaid Heel took the stage. Her performance was much better and it seemed to only go up from there. Eve had a few mishaps, but Sherry, Yukino and Lucy all seemed to hit their pieces out of the park and their good-natured rivalry only served to heighten their performances. When Lucy had finished her last note, the judges all huddled into a discussion.

"Ooh, I hope Sherry wins…" Chelia said, crossing her fingers.

"No way, Lucy's gonna win for sure!" Wendy challenged. Chelia responded with a smirk and Wendy all too quickly realized that they had just started their own rivalry. It was here that the judges turned around, Chapati holding a piece of paper in his hands.

"In sixth place is Warcry, receiving zero points!" Chapati announced to the groans of everyone from Quattro Cerberus. "Following that is Eve in fifth place, Beth in fourth, Sherry in third, Lucy in second, and Yukino receives first place. Given that this is the first round, this reflects the overall rankings."

"Aw, I was hoping Lucy could pull out a win," complained Wendy, a pout on her lips.

"Heh, that's what it means to be Saber Tooth," said a boy next to her, his head covered by a hood. She could tell from the white band on his arm that he was from the guild he was speaking of.

"Shut up, Dorbengal," Chelia snapped. "It's just the first round. So, let's see how well you do up against us in this round." The boy, Dorbengal, just scoffed as the flutes finally left the field and Chapati called the clarinets forward. "I hope you know that I'm not gonna let you win, Wendy."

"I wouldn't expect you to, Chelia. This is for my guild, after all," Wendy said. Nevertheless, the two girls shook hands as Lahar stood once again.

"Performing for the clarinets is Semmes for Quattro Cerberus, Milliana for Mermaid Heel, Hibiki Lates for Blue Pegasus, Chelia Blendy for Lamia Scale, Dorbengal for Saber Tooth, and Wendy Marvell-Dragneel for Fairy Tail."

"Go Wendy! Show 'em who's the best!"

"That's my girl! My baby girl!"

"Gee hee, kick some ass!"

"This is too exciting! An absolute explosion of cuteness! Wendy-tan and Chelia-tan, please do your best! This old man can't take it!" The crowd laughed loudly at Chapati's reaction, Wendy joining them nervously. Semmes ignored that and took the stage. Wendy then blocked everything out; she wasn't going to focus on anyone else's performance but her own. If she did, she knew she would start to doubt herself. So, she closed her eyes and waited, only becoming aware to reality when Dorbengal of Saber Tooth finished playing. Wendy took one last breath and began heading for the stage, throwing a glare to Dorbengal who smirked at her confidently.

She didn't care. She was going to beat him.

When Wendy sat down, the entire crowd hushed and she couldn't even hear the beating of her own heart. All that mattered was the music. She brought her clarinet to her lips and began to play. Her fingers flew up and down, her breaths measured. Every piece of advice that Juvia had given her, every piece of experience, every smile that her friends had given her fueled her and made her piece swell with emotion. Ironically, it was only when she stopped that she realized she had been playing at all.

"That's it! Game over for this old guy!" Chapati cried over the raucous cheers of Fairy Tail. Wendy sighed in relief as she went back to her fellow clarinets. Chelia nodded to her but said no words as the judges discussed the performances. She held her breath as the judges turned back around. "In sixth place is Semmes. In fifth place is Milliana and fourth is Dorbengal."

"So, we're competing for the top three spots," Chelia said. Wendy nodded. It was guaranteed now: she had beaten Saber Tooth; she had met her goal.

"Third place goes to Wendy-tan of Fairy Tail, second to Chelia-tan, and first to Blue Pegasus' Hibiki," Chapati continued. Chelia made a fist pump at the announcement. "That's right, folks, two sections in and we have a three-way tie for first place!"

"Looks like we're almost even," Wendy said as she turned away from the field with Chelia.

"I still beat you," Chelia teased. "But I've got to admit that you were pretty good and we absolutely crushed Saber Tooth. Who wants to bet Minerva's probably blowing a gasket about now?"

"I don't really _want_ to imagine it," Wendy said with a laugh, all the earlier tension having vanished. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Right. May the best guild win!" Chelia cried before giving a wave and skipping off. Wendy turned in the other direction and headed for the bleachers where Fairy Tail was waiting, her instrument and music still clasped in her hand. Both Juvia and Lucy caught the girl in a silent hug since the oboes were already beginning their performances.

Wendy spied Meredy shuffling nervously on the field below, but she knew she couldn't do anything to encourage her. She was only consoled by Natsu handing her a bag of popcorn. From her new vantage point, Wendy could see a scoreboard on the other side, keeping track of each guild's performance. It satisfied her to know that she had helped her guild as much as she had. The only shame was that as Meredy stood up to perform, she was simply too nervous to perform well, a strange contrast to her usual bubbly personality. It cost her and she only received fifth place, bumping the guild to fourth.

"I'm sorry, guys. I really sucked out there," Meredy said dejectedly as she returned. "I let Saber Tooth get to first place."

"Don't worry about it," Cana consoled the girl with a wave of her bottle.

"There's still the best to come!" Juvia agreed brightly.

"Besides, we didn't put you out there to have you perform badly. It's a learning experience," Ultear said. Meredy nodded but her mood didn't improve. Wendy frowned and quickly decided on a course of action. She grabbed Meredy's arm and pulled her forward.

"Cheer up, Meredy. You may not have done very well, but Erza's about to face off against Minerva and you just know that she'll beat her!" Wendy encouraged. Meredy finally looked to the field to see the bass clarinets taking center stage. "It's just a bump on our road to victory."

"Aw, yeah! Kick her ass, Erza!" Natsu cried from next to the two girls. His jubilation seemed to pass on to Meredy because she finally smiled. Erza also heard Natsu's cry because she raised her fist into the air to say she got the message.

"See? We'll all win this together," Wendy said. Meredy sniffled a little but proceeded to give Wendy a one-arm hug.

"Thanks for cheering me up, Wendy."

The two then turned their attentions to the field where the bass clarinet for Quattro Cerberus (who still had zero points) was performing.

Wendy felt she could describe most of the performances as forgettable, though she did feel a little bad for thinking of them in that way. It was only when Minerva took the stage that she felt the need to pay attention. The tension between Fairy Tail and Saber Tooth crackled like electricity and even the audience seemed to sense this because they were all silenced. Wendy leaned over and saw the members of Saber Tooth sitting nearby with smug looks on their faces. She then noticed an older man sitting amongst them calmly.

Even amidst the trim suit he was wearing, she could feel the rolling waves of anger coming off the man. There was no doubt in Wendy's mind that this was Jiemma Orlando. He commanded a presence with his large body and the fourteen year old bluenette could only presume that his presence was the reason that Saber Tooth was so silent. Wendy drew her eyes away to the stage as Minerva began to play.

As much as she wanted to deny it, Minerva was skilled, but there was something off. It almost sounded as though there was no soul to the piece she was playing, like she was just going through the motions. It put an unpleasant taste in her mouth. Then Minerva stepped down as Erza stood up. There was a brief moment where it looked like the two girls might try to fight one another, but it passed without incident and the crowd remained silent.

If Minerva's piece could be described as soulless, then Erza's was the opposite. It was hard to make the bass clarinet sound so full of life, but Erza certainly did. This led to a sudden standing ovation from every guild but Saber Tooth. They were forced to quiet down only when the judges turned back to give the scores. Naturally, Quattro Cerberus was in last place, making Natsu joke that they should just be called Quattro Puppy. The rest were mostly predictable except for Lamia Scale's placement at fifth. Then they made to announce the remaining results.

"In second place, for a fantastic performance of great skill and knowledge is Minerva Orlando of Saber Tooth. This leaves Erza Scarlet in first for a wonderfully soul stirring performance!" Chapati announced.

Fairy Tail roared with cheers at Erza's performance and Wendy watched as they suddenly jumped into second place, only three points behind Saber Tooth. Wendy hugged Lucy, who was cheering with Natsu's arm around her. Meredy even began crying tears of joy that her loss hadn't set them too far back. They still had a chance. Wendy took a glance over to Saber Tooth and saw that a number of them had moved away from Jiemma Orlando, who was shaking with rage as his daughter went screaming off the field.

"You were amazing, Erza!"

"Awesome!"

"You're like a flower; you bloomed so brightly!" Erza waved off all the compliments with good natured smiles and laughs as she took Jellal's hand.

"We haven't won yet. There are still six more rounds," she pointed out. This fact was sobering and the guild returned their attentions to the field where the saxophones were gathering. Wendy could even see Gajeel smirking at Rogue, who was trying to appear uninterested in the events. Nevertheless, Wendy could see the rivalry sparking between the two. Like Erza and Minerva before them, the tension between Fairy Tail and Saber Tooth was palpable. It was then that Wendy realized there were certain rivalries that appeared to garner more attention than others, and Gajeel and Rogue's was at the top of the list.

At this moment, Jenny Realite of Blue Pegasus stepped up to play and Wendy found herself watching with rapt concentration. She was skilled, but there was no doubt to the fact that Lamia Scale (who performed after her) was better. It was funny that when Rogue stood up to perform, Wendy couldn't really describe his performance as that good, but she would say that Gajeel's was definitely better.

"Shoo-bee-doo-ba, everyone!" Gajeel cried to the roar of the crowd once he had finished and the judges went to confer. Moments later they announced the results that placed Lamia Scale in first place for the saxophones, Gajeel in second, Rogue in third and Jenny in fourth. This made Wendy really focus on the scoreboard.

1st: Saber Tooth 19 pts

2nd: Fairy Tail 17 pts

2nd: Lamia Scale 17 pts

4th: Blue Pegasus 13 pts

5th: Mermaid Heel 9 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 0 pts

"And there's our standings halfway through this first day," Chapati announced alongside Wendy's reading. "We will now take a twenty minute intermission before continuing with the trumpets."

"Second place, huh?" Lucy commented. "Looks like it's up to Gray and Laxus to get us up into first place."

"Meh, Popsicle Pants won't lose to that spoony bard, Rufus," Natsu said with a bite of his taco. Lucy appeared to have a double take at this.

"That was fast! When the hell did you get that taco?" Lucy questioned. Her boyfriend just gave a shrug. "Whatever, I am not kissing anyone with taco breath; not with the amount of hot sauce you put on."

"Guys, I'm gonna get some water and use the bathroom," Wendy told them but her brother and Lucy were already in the middle of one of their strange arguments. Shaking her head, Wendy left her things behind and departed from the crowd of Fairy Tail members for the bathroom. It was when she emerged that she received a surprise.

"It's good to see you, Wendy," said the authoritative man. Wendy turned around and saw Doranbolt standing there. He hadn't changed much in the year since she'd seen him (she'd had a different teacher in eighth grade) other than having grown a goatee.

"Mr. Doranbolt, how are you?" Wendy asked with a smile. "I didn't know you'd be a judge here."

"Honestly, neither did I, but Lahar managed to convince me. You've improved immensely," he said kindly. Doranbolt had always been surprisingly kind, but it took until a year later for Wendy to realize that it was only towards the female members of his class. This made Wendy make sure to always keep a few feet between them, even if they had once had a close student-teacher bond.

"I hope I have, but being in the program makes me realize just how outclassed I am by some of the other musicians."

"Well, I'm rather proud of your improvement," he said. Wendy nodded and then nervously observed him for a moment as he seemed to be thinking about something. The moment was broken, however, by the appearance of someone else into the conversation.

"Hey, Wendy, you wanted some water, right?" called Romeo and she turned to see him approaching with a bottle of water in his hand.

"Thanks, Romeo!" Wendy said, gratefully taking the bottle. "Oh, Romeo, this is-"

"I know, he's one of the judges, right?" Romeo said, offering his hand to Doranbolt. "Don't you guys think you were a little harsh on Lucy? I mean, she was just as good as Yukino."

"Well, the judges have to be impartial , you know," Doranbolt said with a nod as he shook Romeo's hand. "Nevertheless, you seem to be doing well, Wendy."

"Doranbolt, it's time to go," called the judge named Lahar. Doranbolt offered a chuckle and then a wave to the two teens.

"Well, it was good to meet you, Romeo, Wendy." Then he was gone. It didn't mean that Wendy's conversations we're done, because soon she felt herself smothered by her mother's hug.

"You were wonderful, Wendy. I'm so proud of you," she said before releasing Wendy from her grasp.

"Mom, I only got third place," she tried to point out. It was obvious that Romeo wouldn't let her belittle herself, though.

"Still better than Saber Tooth," he corrected her. Grandine smiled at Romeo.

"The young man has a point. I think you should keep him around."

"Mom!" Wendy hissed, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment. Grandine laughed.

"Well, anyway, I think you did a good job. Now, go and enjoy the rest of the Games with your friends." She gave Wendy a kiss on the cheek and a nod to Romeo before departing. Wendy and Romeo then turned around and started heading back to the guild section.

"I like your mom," Romeo told her with a grin.

"Yeah, then you'd like my dad. He's a lot like Natsu," Wendy said as they entered back into the guild section and took seats in the front row. A hush fell over the crowd as the trumpets gathered onto the field.

"Welcome back to the second half of day one of the Grand Music Games!" Chapati proclaimed. "Up next is the trumpets and we've got four strong contenders up this year: Gray Fullbuster of Fairy Tail, Lyon Vastia of Lamia Scale, Rufus Lohr of Saber Tooth, and the lovely Kagura Mikazuchi of Mermaid Heel."

The crowd went wild at those four's names. True to what Chapati said, those four proved to be the ones to beat. Unfortunately for Lamia Scale, Lyon was off due to his obvious obsession with Juvia. Wendy also felt that Rufus' performance was lacking because it seemed like he was just mimicking other performances…but that may have been her own bias talking. Nevertheless, Kagura and Gray gave the strongest performances and Gray walked away with first place.

"Unbelieveable!" Chapati screamed. "After six rounds of a heated back and forth, Fairy Tail and Saber Tooth are tied for first place. Who knows what the next round will bring as the trombones head to the field?"

Even with Chapati's question, it came as no surprise to anyone that Bickslow managed to take first place with Yuka of Lamia Scale coming in at second. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the trombone section was undoubtedly the fact that Quattro Cerberus took fifth place, earning them their first point in the game, though everyone knew it would be impossible for them to catch up to the frontrunners of Fairy Tail, Saber Tooth and Lamia Scale.

Unfortunately, Fairy Tail had something to groan about the next round when Elfman performed for the baritones. It wasn't like he had put out a bad performance, but Wendy could tell that he wasn't pacing himself and it proved to be his undoing as he practically fell apart at the end. This poor performance ended up earning him fourth place and the obvious need for him to apologize to the guild for not being manly enough. The others told him not to feel bad about it considering he had gone up against Orga, who took first. Still, Elfman beat himself up for losing to Quattro Cerberus who had gone and gotten second, signally a resurgent war cry from their guild.

Elfman didn't feel quite so bad for losing to them next round, though.

"I can't believe it! We're two rounds away from the end of the first day and Quattro Cerberus has attained first place in the tubas thanks to Rocker!"

"Hmm, it may not be enough to reach first place today, but if they improve over the next four days, we could certainly see some rank reversals," said Yajima, having been the first words he had spoken to the crowd all game.

"It's so cooool!"

Wendy shook her head. Thanks to Lisanna, their team had taken first place once again in the overall rankings (though she herself had only ranked third) while Saber Tooth's dismal performance had actually landed them in last place. Wendy almost wondered just what Minerva would do to the member that allowed them to fall two points behind Fairy Tail. She soon didn't care, though, because the chair that was on stage was moved aside in favor of a drum set. It all but screamed that this was the final round of the day and would all but set the pace for future days.

Fairy Tail watched the performances with bated breath. Bacchus performed reasonably well, though anybody could tell he was so drunk it was a miracle he could hold his drumsticks at all. Mermaid Heel and Blue Pegasus also seemed to perform well, but it was obvious that they paled in comparison to even Bacchus. Toby of Lamia Scale put out what was easily the best performance thus far, even if his playstyle was rather eccentric. Wendy wasn't sure what to think of Sting's performance: it seemed exuberant to the point of overconfidence. Then Laxus stood up.

It was a marvel to watch him, and even Natsu had quieted down to stare at him in awe. Laxus started out slow and quiet to the point that the only reason they heard it was because of the echo effect in the stadium. Then he got louder, and though he didn't increase the tempo, his added use of cymbals and the bass drum made it seem faster than it was. His speed really did increase after this, though it was incremental so that the audience wasn't overwhelmed by the speed. By the end, his drumsticks were flying across his set until the final moments where he slowed and tapered off into silence.

Natsu was the first to clap, followed by the rest of Fairy Tail who began cheering loudly. They were soon joined by the entire audience who had begun cheering "Laxus! Laxus!" Wendy glanced down at the field to see Sting wearing the look of having been clubbed over the head. It was no contest. Even when Sting snagged second place behind Laxus, everyone knew that it was a rank far below that of the blonde-haired senior.

"This concludes the first day of the Grand Music Games!" Chapati cried. "Now, if you'll turn your attention to the scoreboard for the final tally for today."

1st: Fairy Tail 37 pts

2nd: Sabertooth 34 pts

3rd: Lamia Scale 31 pts

4th: Mermaid Heel 19 pts

5th: Blue Pegasus 17 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 12 pts

Fairy Tail cheered loudly while Natsu called for a party at the nearby pizza place. They were in first place! In a state of complete glee, Wendy hugged Romeo who managed to hug her back amidst all the chaos. Then, as their unified guild, they all made their way back to the guild hall to deposit their instruments before heading to the pizza parlor.

The guild dominated the restaurant that night, celebrating their first day victory in the Games. Wendy spent most of her time with her family, Romeo, and Meredy. She even joined them when they turned the place into a dance floor. Wendy had never been one for dancing wildly, but that night she let loose amongst her guild mates. She danced with her brother and cousin before Lucy and Levy stole them away. Then she and Meredy danced until Romeo cut in and stayed with her the rest of the evening, the giddiest smile on both of their faces.

And Wendy knew then that they would win the Games.

* * *

The next morning, however, seemed to decide that reality should crush them in the face. Though all the girls in Wendy's cabin were still pleased about yesterday's performance, they were now far more subdued. Unlike the day prior, though, not all the girls left together. In fact, only Levy, Wendy and Meredy remained, but they didn't mind. It was nice to not have to rush out and they grabbed themselves breakfast before heading to the guild hall.

"What's going on here? It seems rowdier than usual," Wendy observed. In fact, there was a single spot that the chaos seemed to be reigning from.

"Look, I know I locked it in here with the rest of us!"

"We know that, Lucy," Laxus said with a fold of his arms.

"Then why isn't it here?"

"Lu-chan, what's up?" Levy asked as she and the other two girls broke into the circle. Lucy turned to her best friend with wide and tearful eyes.

"My flute is missing!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Cliffhanger action week! At least in my stories. So, here's the start of the Games. I hope you enjoyed it, but we've still got four rounds to go. As a note, we're about halfway through the story here. So, how about that chapter this week? We really should have seen it coming once we knew Keith was a necromancer. Plus, super moving. Also, who read Fairy Tail Zero? Great start, it's just a shame we have to wait a month for the next chapter. And that new episode…good but damn did Cana look awful. Anyway, that's all I have to say besides Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ultimate Pain? Sound painful…But this chapter is the Ultimate Gain! Maybe…? Anyone? No? Okay, fine, let's start chapter 9.**

* * *

Chapter 9

"Let's just calm down and think about this," Laxus said, clearly hoping to put a stop to all the murmuring in the room. It was moderately successful because the guild hall seemed to quiet a little, but Lucy still looked as upset as she ever did. "Lucy, I believe you…mostly because I saw you put your flute away myself but, anyway, I believe you."

"Thanks, Laxus, but that isn't helping much!" Lucy screeched. Levy and Wendy both closed the gap between them and the busty blonde to put a comforting hand on her. It worked a little and she seemed to prevent her full-on rage mode from activating.

"Did anyone come to the guild hall last night for any reason?" Laxus asked the guild at large. Wendy looked around to see most of their members shaking their heads or otherwise peering suspiciously at some of their guild mates. "I'm not accusing any of you of anything. But if someone came into the guild hall last night, it may have given the thief their own opportunity to come in."

"There was no need," Erza announced from a nearby window. "This window latch is jimmied. It's cleverly disguised, but it's pretty obvious as to how our thief got in."

"Come on, guys," Gray said, shoving his hands into his pockets, "why don't we all stop calling them 'the thief'?"

"What are you talking about, Gray?" Laxus asked. There was a pause as Gray took his shirt off.

"We all know who really took it." A disturbed mutter flitted around the guild hall at Gray's proclamation. "Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it: Saber Tooth."

"That's true. She'd be the only person ballsy enough to break into another guild hall," Cana commented.

"Then what're we waiting for?" Natsu asked as he dashed forward. "Let's get over there and make them give it back!" He was impeded from any further action by Laxus grabbing the back of his shirt.

"Hold your horses, kid," Laxus said. "Minerva wouldn't be dumb enough to leave any evidence that led back to Saber Tooth and we don't have the time or leniency to go getting into fights with other guilds."

"Aw, come on, Laxus! Let me fight!"

"Here's what we're gonna do," Laxus said, raising his voice dramatically. "We don't have the time for our guild to do a camp wide search for Lucy's flute, so we'll have to make a member substitution. In the meantime we'll split into what will essentially be three teams: participating team, search team, and decoy team. We have to find that flute. Gramps may be lenient, but I don't want to lose the ensemble or marching section because one of our members was prevented from participating."

"What's the decoy team?" some asked, but Wendy didn't try to see who.

"The ones in the stands. We have to keep the attention on the Games so no one realizes that we have members missing."

"I'll be part of my own search team," Lucy announced. "It's not like I can participate anymore without a flute." Laxus nodded solemnly.

"Anyone else wanna volunteer?" he asked. Wendy looked at her feet a moment before glancing at Lucy's defiant face. She took a step forward.

"I'll join the search team, too!" she said, placing herself next to Lucy.

"So will I," Gray told them, already taking his belt off. "I'm not participating today so I'd be put to better use on the search team."

"I'll help, too," Romeo said, coming over to stand on the other side of Lucy.

"I should as well," Mira said, a thoughtful finger on her lips. Laxus gave an exasperated grunt.

"No way, Mira, I need you to replace Lucy."

"Levy can do that for me," Mira said with a smile. It wasn't her usual sweet smile, though, and Laxus was forced to back off hastily. "I'm a drum major and this is a serious infraction of the rules, so I need to make sure it's remedied."

"Then let me go as well," said a black-haired senior that Wendy had never spoken with before.

"Warren's always good at keeping communication strong," Lucy observed.

"I'm going, too!" Natsu screamed, having finally broken free of Laxus' hold.

"This is where I draw the line, Natsu!" Laxus roared. "I can't participate in today's competition because of the 'no guild leaders' rule, so I need you out there."

"I don't care," Natsu said angrily. He suddenly put his face near Laxus' with a snarl. "No one messes with Fairy Tail and no one messes with Lucy! I'm on the search team!"

"Then who the hell am I supposed to put out in your place?"

"Just put Max out, he's a decent player," Natsu said as he pulled away. Laxus glared at the salmon-haired boy before sighing angrily.

"Fine. Max, you're in for Natsu, Levy's in for Lucy," Laxus said to the guild. "Now, search team, line up!" Wendy saw Natsu, Gray, Mira, and the boy named Warren suddenly line up next to her as they stood before Laxus. "You seven are going to search the camp for Lucy's flute. Check the cabins, the guild halls, the trash…anywhere you can think of. If we're lucky, we can find it before we go on, but I'm not holding my breath. Contact me as soon as you find it but make sure your search is discreet; we don't want to get into any trouble."

"Then let's go before Gildarts gets here, guys!" Natsu said with a fist pump. The seven members of the search team twisted around and aimed for the door out of the guild hall.

"Good luck, Gray-sama."

"Yeah, you too, Juvia."

"Hurry up, Frosty!"

"Now is not the time for this, fire breath!" Wendy just shook her head as she pranced out of the guild hall behind Lucy. When they were a reasonable distance away, she turned her head to see Gildarts entering.

"So, now what?" she asked. "I don't think we'll cover much ground in a group of seven."

"Wendy does bring up a good point," Mira said. As if in response, Warren reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone and a map of the camp. The other six gathered around him so they could view the map.

"Wendy's right. We should split into two groups," he said. "The north side of camp is pointless since that's where the stadium is. So, here's what I think: one group takes the west side and the other takes the south side. We'll all meet up to look at the east side because that's just the dining hall and offices."

"I call south side," Natsu said. Gray looked at him sideways.

"You just want to go there because Saber's guild hall is there," he said.

"Of course!" Natsu confirmed as he punched his palm.

"Did you even listen to Laxus? He said it probably won't be there!"

"Then we'll see who finds it faster!" Natsu challenged. Gray smirked in a silent acceptance of the challenge. "Who do you want on your team?"

"I'm choosing Mira and Warren, of course," Gray said, folding his arms across his bare chest.

"Then I'm obviously taking Lucy, Wendy, and Romeo," Natsu stated defiantly, as if they were the ones he was going to choose the entire time.

"Well, this should be fun…" Lucy commented. Wendy laughed a little at the older girl's comment, before she saw Romeo staring at the tussling boys in admiration. It was only when Natsu and Gray decided to have a random arm wrestling contest that Lucy chose to speak up. "Guys, shouldn't we get moving?"

"Yeah, fire crotch, listen to your girlfriend."

"At least I could spit it out, ice boy!"

"You know I hate that nickname!" Gray yelled. "That's it! I'm going to find Lucy's flute first!"

"Yeah, we'll see!"

"Will you cut it out, boys?" Lucy said, angrily smacking the two boys in the head. Wendy winced but watched as they recovered. "Let's go already! Warren, I have my phone so let's keep in contact."

"You got it," Warren said with a nod. Mirajane then grabbed Gray and began to pull him away. Wendy watched him until he gave a small and subtle nod to Natsu. Then she turned after Lucy and Romeo who were talking quietly.

"I'm surprised," Natsu said. Wendy jerked at the silence being broken. "You volunteered to help out really quickly."

"Lucy's my friend, too," Wendy professed. "Besides, I'm looking forward to her becoming my sister-in-law one day."

"That's a far way off, Wendy," Natsu said with a grin. Wendy gave her own grin back. Her brother might have been saying that, but Wendy knew that his impulsivity had probably caused him to already think about marrying her. He didn't really like to think ahead. "I am happy to know you want Lucy as a sister-in-law, though. Now you need to get together with Romeo and he can be the brother I never had."

"Why does everyone keep teasing me about Romeo?" Wendy pouted. Natsu threw his head back and laughed. "Stop laughing, Natsu."

"Look, it's only because you've been spending a lot of time together," Natsu said. "Coming from Mira's rumor mill, I'm starting to think I'll have to threaten him to not hurt my baby sister."

"There's no need for that. Romeo and I are just friends," Wendy said, sending a rather frightful glare at her brother. Natsu recoiled and dropped the subject. He then sped up to join with Lucy.

Wendy sighed inwardly. This was starting to become annoying. Yes, she enjoyed Romeo's company. He made her laugh and feel special while also feeling normal at the same time. He stood up for her when he didn't have to and he certainly cared about her. She also couldn't deny that the dance festival the other night was one of the most enjoyable times she'd had. Still, that didn't _mean_ anything. It just meant that he was a good friend.

Romeo looked back at this moment and smiled. Wendy felt heat rise into her cheeks and she looked away. No, she didn't have time for this sort of thing. Love and relationships could come when she was older. She didn't like Romeo that way. Her denial firmly cementing itself in her head, Wendy sped up to join the others and could see Saber Tooth's guild hall fast approaching.

"Looks empty," Romeo commented as he examined the building from a distance.

"Yeah, but we should still be careful," Lucy said. Of course, Natsu decided that he would have other plans.

"Who cares about any of that? ! Let's go with Plan T!"

"Plan T?" Romeo asked. Clearly he hadn't gotten to know Natsu to the point that he knew his wacky plans. Lucy and Wendy just sighed together before answering him.

"Take 'em by storm."

"Hell yeah!" Natsu said jubilantly until Lucy grabbed his scarf and pulled him backwards.

"No way!" Lucy snapped. "How about Plan…plan RWS: Romeo and Wendy sneak over."

"That sounds like a horrible name for a plan."

"Sometimes I think your brain was a horrible plan, but I'm still dating you." Wendy rolled her eyes before looking across the arguing couple to Romeo. She jerked her head towards Saber Tooth's guild hall. Romeo got the message and the two stealthily left for the enemy's guild hall without either Natsu or Lucy noticing. That's when Wendy heard Romeo chuckling under his breath. She cast him an inquisitive gaze.

"Sometimes I think they'd be up for weirdest couple of the year if Elfman and Evergreen weren't in the running," he commented. Wendy twisted around to look at him more closely.

"I think they go well together," she replied. Romeo held his hands up in defense.

"So do I, but that's just not what I'd envision a relationship to look like," he confessed.

"Then what's your idea of a relationship?" Wendy asked before she could stop herself. She knew she shouldn't have asked; that it would probably give the wrong idea. Yet she couldn't help herself.

"I don't know…not constant fighting. Something…sweeter, I guess. Understated and quiet but not in an invisible or pretentious sort of way."

"The exact opposite of Natsu, then?"

"Ironically, yes," he said with a smile. Wendy laughed a little at that. "Now let's find that flute." Romeo then motioned for Wendy to stay low as he peeked his head over the window to look inside. "It's empty."

"So, how do we get in?" Wendy asked. She watched Romeo attempt to open the window but the infernal pane of glass remained unyielding. After a minute of futile efforts he stepped away and went, instead, towards the main door. Wendy followed him only to see that it, too, did not want to budge.

"Stubborn bastard," Romeo cursed under his breath. Wendy raised her eyebrows into her hair before sighing loudly. Time to use one of Natsu's old tricks. She reached into her pocket and began digging around for one of her hair pins. "What are you doing?"

"When you live with Natsu long enough, you start realizing that he takes your hair clips and bobby pins so that he can break into our dad's supply of fireworks. After a while, you start picking up on the tricks." Her fingers finally clasped upon the object of her pursuit and she pulled it out, twirling it on her fingers. Romeo grinned manically.

"You are devious, Wendy," he said, though it wasn't like he was disturbed by it.

"I'm just Natsu's sister," she stated proudly. Wendy walked to the door, peered around for anyone approaching and then placed her bobby pin in the lock. It took only a few seconds of concentrated wiggling before the lock clicked and the door swung open. Romeo went in first.

Upon Wendy's entrance, she noticed that it looked very similar to their own guild hall in design and structure. The biggest difference was in the arrangement of the instruments. Whereas Fairy Tail always looked like a hurricane had run through it, Saber Tooth's was organized as if it were a military boot camp. _Makes sense_, Wendy thought. Minerva had tried to treat the clarinets like her own personal soldiers. She could only imagine what she'd do to the guild she was _actually_ in charge of. But that wasn't the main focus of the mission; a mission that Romeo was currently embarking on.

"Do you think Minerva would drop the case?" he asked. Wendy went to his side as they scanned the arrangement of instrument cases. "'Cause I just realized that if she did, it could be anywhere."

It'd be pretty stupid to," Wendy said. She lowered herself into a crouch to examine the flutes. "If anyone but us found the case they'd know it was Lucy's and that it was stolen. Then the Games would get postponed until Lucy's flute was found."

"Which would make Minerva's plan pointless," Romeo acknowledged. "Can you see it?"

"No," Wendy answered with a shake of her head. "Wherever Minerva hid it, it wasn't here."

"Figures…" Romeo sighed. "As awesome as Natsu is, Laxus was right: why would she incriminate herself?"

"Let's head back," Wendy suggested. The two of them retreated from the enemy guild hall and shut the door. Wendy made sure to lock it before they left. Natsu and Lucy weren't arguing when they got back but Wendy still averted her eyes as Romeo cleared his throat loudly.

"Oh, hey, where'd you guys go?" Natsu asked, acting like his sister hadn't just caught him and Lucy making out. Romeo folded his arms and glared at the older boy.

"Saber Tooth's guild hall," Romeo answered. "Your flute wasn't there."

"Damn it," Lucy muttered as she fixed her hair. "I guess we should take Laxus' suggestion of visiting other guild halls. Mermaid Heel's close by, right?"

"Sure," Natsu chirped as he decided to lead the way. Wendy watched him go and flushed a deep crimson. That was very likely the most embarrassing situation she had ever walked into, but neither her brother nor Lucy seemed to care. Wendy's eyes slid over to Romeo and their gazes met before they looked away in discomfort.

"We…uh, we should follow them."

"Sounds good," Wendy squeaked, hardly realizing that her voice had just gone up an octave. Neither she nor Romeo said anything to one another as they joined the older members of their search team. In fact, Wendy was determined to avoid Romeo entirely until she could get some brain bleach to erase the image of Natsu and Lucy swapping spit. Thankfully, it wasn't long before they arrived at the Mermaid Heel guild hall.

_It's much fancier than ours_, was Wendy's first thought. Of course, she also noticed that it lacked a second floor, but had a wider ground floor. Natsu held his hand out to Wendy and she instantly knew what her brother was asking. She gave him the same bobby pin she'd used earlier and in seconds the door was open. Wendy's initial observation was furthered by the carpeted floor and pink-tinted walls. It seemed more comfortable but Wendy somehow preferred her own guild hall.

"Let's split up," Natsu said, dashing towards the biggest group of instruments in the room. The remaining three went off in different directions.

Wendy quickly realized that Mermaid Heel's organization was somewhere in between Fairy Tail's and Saber Tooth's. The instruments weren't rigidly ordered, but they weren't chaotically thrown all over the place. Wendy frowned as she looked at the large instruments before her. Somehow, she doubted that Lucy's flute was a big hulking tuba. She turned away only for her foot to get caught on the carpet. With a scream she collapsed into the cases, causing a few of them to pop open.

"Ow…" she whined, rubbing her head, which had banged into one of the cases on her way down. Now she was scowling instead of frowning but she still managed to catch sight of something strange amidst the baritones and tubas. "I think I found your flute, Lucy."

"You did?" the blonde-haired girl asked, her voice much closer than Wendy had anticipated. She also saw Natsu and Romeo's hands helping her up from her clumsiness. Once she was standing they went to put the instruments back in their proper place. Lucy, meanwhile, hugged her case close to her, grateful to have it returned to her. "Thanks, Wendy."

"It was a team effort," Wendy said. "Shouldn't we call the others?"

"Right…" Lucy said, leading the way. She snapped her cell phone out as they left the Mermaid Heel guild hall. Natsu followed straight after her, forcing Wendy to spin around and lock the door herself. Lucy was still fiddling with her cell phone when she rejoined them. "I can't get any reception!"

"Let's head to the stadium," Romeo suggested. "There's bound to be reception there."

"I hope we're not too late," Wendy said fearfully.

"We might be," Natsu said in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "I mean, I have faith in our guild but the second and third days are usually considered the shortest. We should hurry." Natsu started running right away. Wendy looked to Romeo and Lucy and the three simultaneously set off after Natsu.

The campgrounds were still mostly deserted, making their progress unimpeded. In the distance, Wendy could hear loud and raucous cheers and she began to fear the worst. Suddenly, Lucy stopped and flipped her phone open. While Natsu didn't stop, both Wendy and Romeo did as Lucy finished calling Warren. "Call off the search. I found it." A few more affirmations later and they were back to running.

Wendy could tell by the stream of people coming from the stadium that the day's events were already over. She frantically searched for the faces of her guild mates but had a hard time finding them in the crowd. It didn't stop her from moving forward until she saw Natsu staring at the scoreboard with narrowed eyes. He wasn't alone, because she soon noticed the objects of her search gathering around him, each with dejected looks. When Wendy joined them, her jaw dropped and she saw Romeo's fists clench.

1st: Saber Tooth 44 pts

2nd: Lamia Scale 39 pts

2nd: Fairy Tail 39 pts

4th: Mermaid Heel 25 pts

5th: Blue Pegasus 21 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 12 pts

"Fifth place," Laxus said boomingly as Wendy looked to him. "Fifth _fucking_ place. Now we're five points behind Saber Tooth. If we let them get first place again, we can kiss the program goodbye."

"Were we really that bad?" Wendy asked timidly, afraid of inspiring Laxus' wrath.

"It wasn't that we were bad per se…" Levy attempted to say. Laxus didn't want to sugarcoat it, though.

"We sucked." Wendy winced and she even felt Romeo do the same. "I mean, Levy and Max did their best for having never played the piece before, but we sounded like…let's just say a bull horn at a basketball game sounds better."

"Damn it!" Natsu screamed before whipping around to face Gajeel. "Iron face, we're practicing tonight until we drop. We'll sleep in the guild hall if we have to!"

"Don't order me around, Salamander!" Gajeel snapped. Wendy watched her family worriedly for a moment but realized that they had no plans to fight each other. "What's got you so agitated?"

"Minerva…the only reason Saber Tooth won is because of that dirty trick!"

"What dirty trick would this be, Dragneel?" The sound of the she-demon's voice caused every member of Fairy Tail to look for her and subsequently glare at her. "I've done nothing but follow the rules."

"Like hell you have!"

"Calm down, Natsu," Erza said. She moved to stand in front of Natsu, glaring vehemently at Minerva all the while. "Minerva, you may consider yourself untouchable but understand this: today you made your biggest mistake. Not only have you threatened our program and our family, but we all know you dared to set foot in our guild hall. From now on, Fairy Tail isn't playing a game."

"Should I be frightened?" Minerva asked with a smirk.

"Minerva, what are you doing talking to that trash guild?" boomed an angry voice. Wendy saw Minerva flinch for the tiniest fraction of a second before the smirk was present again. She quickly recognized the source of this as the man she'd seen yesterday, all but confirming her thoughts that this was Minerva's father.

"Talking? I was simply expressing my revulsion over them, father."

"Of course…pathetic wretches," Jiemma Orlando said once his eyes finished passing over the Fairy Tail members. "I look forward to the day I don't have to see their half-baked excuses for musicians again."

"I wholeheartedly agree, father." Wendy's fists clenched angrily. She hated this girl and her puffed up father. Her lips started curling into a sneer that she knew was so unlike her.

"Who is it that's up for Saber Tooth tomorrow?" Jiemma asked, almost as if the Fairy Tail members were non-existent fleas despite the fact that they were standing right there.

"Sting and Rogue."

"Ah, yes…those two boys have skill despite their youth. Hmph, I look forward to another overwhelming victory tomorrow."

"So shall it be, father." Wendy's eyes narrowed. Why was Minerva speaking so respectfully, even if he was her father? Everything she knew about the girl went against her current actions.

"Lucy!" called another man from the stadium.

"Dad?" Lucy replied from right next to Wendy's ear. Sure enough, Jude Heartfilia was approaching, his brow furrowed into one of concern. "I didn't know you were here."

"I got into Crocus late last night," he replied. "I thought you were performing today but I didn't see you. Did something happen?"

Lucy shot a quick glance over to Minerva that was practically unnoticeable. "It was nothing. Sorry to worry-"

"Hmph, so she's your daughter, Heartfilia?" Jiemma interjected. It was like the man didn't even care that Lucy had just been speaking. "I'd heard stories from Minerva, but I didn't expect her to be such a…tramp."

"Hey, watch your mouth!" Natsu yelled, but quickly had his arms restrained by Fried, Bickslow and Laxus. Jude Heartfilia looked just as angry as Natsu sounded.

"So, how is the railroad business these days?" Jiemma asked, once again ignoring the fact that he'd just insulted Lucy. "Clearly not as well as the aeronautics business, judging from your state of dress."

"I would advise you to stop speaking," Jude said softly. "You can insult my company or this program but don't say a word against my daughter."

"I am the president of Orlando Aeronautics. I am allowed to speak as I please. I am allowed to do as I please." Jiemma folded his arms to glare menacingly at his rival.

"Then you're also allowed to lose," Jude shot back with a confident smirk. "Rest assured, my daughter and her friends _will_ defeat yours. Then you'll lose face and potentially your company."  
"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that I'm not quite so ignorant as you make me out to be…and you're not as clean as your appear to be." The feeling of tension ratcheted up between the two men and Wendy took an unconscious step back. At that same moment, both Lucy and Minerva took a step forward, protectively shielding their respective fathers. Wendy viewed it more as a way to halt the argument before it got out of hand.

"Is there a problem here?" said the director's voice suddenly, and Wendy watched as he seemingly emerged from the shadows of the stadium. He was much shorter than the other two men, but Wendy still felt as though he were a giant in comparison. No one said a thing in his presence. "I'm glad to see you're all getting along, but if you'd please, Mr. Orlando, Mr. Heartfilia, we need the stadium cleared."

"I was just leaving," Jiemma said haughtily. He then took a sniff in the general direction of Fairy Tail. "This place reeks of failure. Come, Minerva!" His daughter flinched again but she stalked after her father with her usual derisive look.

"Let's go, dad," Lucy implored pleadingly. "I just have to drop my case off in the guild hall and then we can get some lunch or something. Are you in town for the rest of the week?"

"Oh…yes, I did say I'd watch the Games this year," Jude said as he, too, walked off side-by-side with his daughter. Makarov gave the members of Fairy Tail a nod before he departed. Wendy let out a shaky breath when the confrontation had finished.

"Was I the only one that was scared?" Wendy breathed, meaning the only Romeo and a nearby Levy heard her.

"I wasn't scared, but I was pissed as hell!" Romeo said, his fists still clenched.

"Don't listen to him, I was scared too. They cut a pretty imposing figure," Levy said with a comforting nod. Wendy sighed in relief at the fact that she wasn't alone. It still didn't stop her from jumping when Erza placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry, Wendy," she quickly apologized, "but you were with Lucy when you found her flute, right? Where was it exactly?"

"Mermaid Heel's guild hall," she answered. A scowl appeared on Erza's face.

"Of course…Minerva's never liked Kagura, so it'd be no surprise if she tried to frame her. I'm guessing you had to break in?" Wendy gave a sheepish little nod to this question. "Hmmm…I'll go have a talk with Kagura, then, so no one gets in trouble from Minerva's scheme."

Erza left after that and the rest of Fairy Tail was soon to follow. Most of the members started breaking off towards their cabins, but Wendy, Romeo and Levy followed Natsu and Gajeel who were (surprisingly) quietly bickering on their way to the guild hall. Joining them were Laxus, Fried, Bickslow, Elfman, Evergreen, Lisanna and a dejected Max. No one said a word to one another, the musicians still rather dejected from their placement today. In fact, it wasn't until they reached the guild hall and saw Gildarts (and the other half of the search team) that they even made a single sound.

"I spoke with your grandfather, Laxus," Gildarts said as soon as he caught sight of their group entering the hall. "He's allowed four people to stay in the guild hall overnight so that no one takes anything."

"I shall stay as Laxus' loyal friend," Fried automatically proclaimed.

"So will I, babies!" Bickslow exclaimed soon after. Wendy frowned in contemplation for a moment before raising her own hand.

"I'll stay, too," she said, feeling braver than she ever had before. "Lucy was targeted yesterday and if Gajeel's saxophone would be targeted today…well, he is my cousin."

"Then I'll stay, too," Levy said cheerfully as she came back from putting her flute away. Gildarts nodded and said he would inform the director before leaving. Seconds later, the sound of Natsu and Gajeel's practice had begun.

"That was a very brave thing to do, Wendy," Fried said to her as the four self-appointed bodyguards settled near one of the windows. "You really are Natsu's sister."

"Th-thanks…" Wendy said, blushing at the compliment. Fried nodded as he continued to sit in a dignified manner.

Wendy turned her attentions to her family's performance. She couldn't exactly figure out what it was they were trying to accomplish with their composition, even after listening multiple times, but she could see the surprising layer of teamwork that came out of their playing. Numerous members of the guild chose to stop by as the day wound on, including Erza who had brought pillows and sleeping bags for the girls. Romeo had stepped out for a moment to get them all dinner and then didn't leave until Natsu and Gajeel wrapped up their practice with grim looks of determination.

"I will take the door. Bickslow will take the east window, while you girls will take the west window," Fried ordered. Both Wendy and Levy obeyed instantly.

"You know, for once, I'm glad that Erza overpacks," Levy said as she lay atop her sleeping bag. Wendy said nothing and soon Levy was lost in a book that Lucy had brought her.

"Levy…you like my cousin, right?" Wendy asked a few minutes later. Levy gave a start, the book slipping from her hands. The fourteen year old wasn't sure where all the bravery and extroversion she had shown today was coming from, but it certainly felt liberating. "Why don't you just tell him?"

"Gajeel's…not that interested," Levy answered dejectedly. "I mean, sometimes he can be incredibly sweet, like a teddy bear really, but then sometimes I wonder if he even cares about how I feel."

"He cares," Wendy said. "It took him years to finally admit he liked taking me to amusement parks, and I'm his cousin."

"Maybe…" Levy said, her eyes cast down at her book. Wendy observed her a moment before settling upon an idea.

"How's this? When we win the Games, you tell him how you feel! There's no way he'd reject you."

"Wendy, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were taking lessons from Mira."

"No…I just think you're a nice person and you'd be good for Gajeel," Wendy admitted with a smile. "Maybe then he wouldn't fight with my brother so much."

"Ha ha, well, as long as they don't fight tomorrow, right?" Levy said. The two girls laughed about it before starting an inane conversation about Levy's book. Her fellow bluenette had a glowing look on her face the entire time until they fell asleep with Wendy's head on Levy's shoulder as though she were her sister. Neither of them awoke until Romeo arrived the next morning with breakfast. Fried was happy to report that everything was safe.

The guild hall filled quickly but the usual idle chatter was not present, replaced instead with a buzzing tension about what today's results could mean. When Gildarts arrived, the guild once more got into marching order with Natsu and Gajeel leading the pack. They didn't stop until they reached the stadium. The bulk of the guild began turning towards the bleachers, leaving Wendy's family alone at the entrance. Wendy threw a look back to them where they were standing silently. She heaved a breath before spinning around and striding up to them.

"Natsu! Gajeel!" she called and they looked at her questioningly. "I only want to say one thing. Just…win. No matter what, 'cause I know you're the best. So, win!"

"Wendy…" Natsu said softly before grinning. "You got it!"

"Anything for you, kiddo," Gajeel agreed. Cheers rose in the crowd for Sting and Rogue's appearance. "Let's do this, Salamander!"

"Yeah, I'm all fired up!"

Her family turned away as Wendy went in the opposite direction. No matter who won today, Wendy knew that today her family would make history.

* * *

**Author's Note: Heating up time! You know, I had too much fun writing Jiemma simply because he's such a despicable character. Anyway, this chapter had Wendy dealing with her thoughts and really showing her growing up amongst the guild mates. Tell me what you think. New chapter anyone? Exploding Keith was awesome! On a more somber note: I'm sick of Gray fans bashing Natsu. Like, seriously, I know that a powerup for Gray was well overdue but don't ignore the fact that Natsu is the only one to decide if E.N.D. lives or dies just because you want your favorite character to be the one to fight him. It just pisses me off…On a happier note: I thought the new episode was awesome. Atlas Flame wins so much. Anyway, let me know what you think. Please Review, and Dare to Be Silly.**


	10. Chapter 10

**No, Wendy, you can't pull off your twintails with your short hair. It only makes you look like a little girl. Adorable…but a little girl nonetheless. I want badass Wendy back.**

**Note: In this I have Mato say "punkin" this is the English translation of his quirk "kabo", and to me sounds far more quirky. Just so you're not confused.**

* * *

Chapter 10

Surprisingly, Wendy was able to make it to her seat before both Natsu and Gajeel were announced. She slipped in between Levy and Lucy and peered down at the field in anticipation. While she did receive some questioning looks from the two girls, the matter was soon made immaterial by the raucous cheers that erupted from the Fairy Tail guild mates as Natsu and Gajeel strode onto the field with confident smirks.

"We're now onto day three of the Grand Music Games!" Chapati announced cheerfully. "This means that it's time for the Experimental Competition!"

"I'm looking forward to some interesting combinations," Yajima admitted to the crowd.

"It's gonna be so cooool!"

"Please, Mr. Yajima, Jason, contain yourselves," Chapati said. "I haven't even announced the rules for today's competition."

"It's still got me excited, punkin!"

"I can just tell this won't go well…" Lahar lamented with a sigh. This drew a laugh from the crowd but Wendy didn't want to join in. Instead, she was observing the various pairs that were patiently waiting on the field below.

Wendy found it almost funny that she could name every single participant on the field simply from the first day of the games alone. Natsu and Gajeel were, of course, a given since she had just seen them off. Also expected were Sting and Rogue, who appeared to be eyeing her family with some discontent. From Lamia Scale were Lyon and Yuka, meaning that their guild was obviously up for some kind of brass composition. Blue Pegasus was represented by Hibiki and Eve (something that surprised Wendy due to his ranking on the first day) which all but stated that theirs was a woodwind creation. Kagura and Milliana were the members from Mermaid Heel, making it a cross-sectional score. Finally from Quattro Cerberus were Bacchus and Rocker, both of their instruments somehow inspiring the idea of manly.

"All right," Chapati said with his own laugh. Wendy focused back on the commentator's words, making sure to not miss a thing. "Anyway, today's competition is representative of the musicians' ability to create something stunning and unique using two entirely different instruments. This will demonstrate both teamwork and ability since each guild puts up two musicians each. Despite there only being two, they are required to perform for at least ten to fifteen minutes each, after which the judges will discuss the results. The first place winner will, as before, take ten points while last place takes zero. All participants should also remember that today is the last day to earn ten points, making it a vital day in point earning.

"So, let's start day three!" The crowd once again roared wildly, but Wendy disregarded it. She leaned forward, her knuckles practically white.

"Up first is Rocker on the tuba and Bacchus on the drums for Quattro Cerberus," Lahar announced as the two musicians took the stage.

The crowd had a mixed reaction with some cheering and others snickering. It was a little sad, but made sense given their guild's current track record. Wendy thought they hadn't improved much. The piece they had created started off strong. Bacchus had done little more than keep time while Rocker did what sounded like a bunch of "oom-pa-pas". It was folksy and had Wendy tapping her foot unconsciously. Of course, it wasn't very original, but the audience seemed to be forgiving of this factor.

Bacchus eventually became more animated and stared to counter the sounds of Rocker's tuba by adding drum and cymbal strokes in between every note. It sounded almost discordant but Wendy felt that it didn't exactly collapse their piece. Sure, it sounded like they were warring with each other but they still seemed to be holding onto some strange bond within their music. That was when the tone of their piece entirely shifted.

Gone was the folksy tune or even any attempt at classical music. What came next from the two was something that Levy described as a "big-band-rock fusion" that crashed and burned horribly. Whereas before they were clashing with their notes, now they were clashing with their genres. It showed, and when the two finally finished, almost everyone in the audience was grateful that the assault was over.

"That was…interesting," Yajima said kindly. Wendy was sure it was a euphemism.

"Next is Kagura on trumpet and Milliana on clarinet for Mermaid Heel."

In Wendy's honest opinion, she really couldn't decide which of the two guilds had put up a better performance. While Mermaid Heel's performance sounded technically impressive, there was still something missing. This was a thought she put towards Lucy and Levy while they waited for Blue Pegasus to set up.

"Mermaid Heel's the better one," Lucy said definitively.

"I don't know, Lu-chan," Levy countered with a finger on her chin. "Sure, if we're looking from a straight up technical perspective then Mermaid Heel is very clearly the winner, but the judges are looking at more than that."

"Are you saying that abomination of a performance by Quattro Cerberus was actually better?"

"On an experimental level, yes." Lucy glared at Levy, who pouted straight back. "They tried some genre busting, even if they didn't succeed. Kagura and Milliana just sounded like the same old thing."

"Well, I guess we'll see." Wendy wished she had never started the argument.

Obviously, Blue Pegasus was the next to perform with Hibiki on clarinet and Eve on flute. This sounded better than the last two performances. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both woodwinds and it leant them a mellow sound to their performance. Neither Hibiki nor Eve tried to make their piece anything that it wasn't supposed to be. They fully embraced the fact that they couldn't make any harsh or discordant sounds like their competition and instead worked towards a beautiful fusion. It was light and airy, with Eve's flute fluttering and Hibiki remaining in the background. What made it sound so different was that they had taken to melting with one another. Eve would play in the forefront and then when his turn was over, he'd subtly fade into the background as Hibiki came into prominence. It was a beautiful piece that made full use of both musicians.

"I'm dropping the argument on Mermaid and Cerberus," Lucy admitted quickly after Blue Pegasus had stepped off the stage.

"Well, it's obvious that Blue Pegasus is at the top now," Levy suggested, pointing to both Hibiki and Eve.

"That was a beautiful song," Wendy said in response. "Equal parts happy and sad, light and dark. I'm impressed." Suddenly Wendy felt her hair being ruffled by Lucy.

"You're becoming quite the musical connoisseur, Wendy." She just laughed it off and turned her attention to the trumpet-trombone combo of Lyon and Yuka. "This should be interesting with it being all brass."

It _was_ interesting. Lyon and Yuka didn't attempt to do what their predecessors had done simply on the basis that they weren't woodwinds. Instead, it almost seemed like the two had tried to make their composition as positively zany as possible. Yuka's trombone gave this feeling along with Lyon's short trumpet bursts. Wendy thought the piece wouldn't have been out of place in a carnival or another setting like that. Still, the overall strange vibe of the piece did nothing to take away from the performance. Really, it seemed to enhance it and the finale of their performance garnered a great applause from the audience. Even Wendy was clapping loudly, despite them being from a rival guild. The song had been just that enjoyable. Of course, Lyon only added to the zaniness when he stepped off the stage.

"That was for you, Juvia!"

"Stop hitting on my girlfriend, Lyon!" Gray yelled back. Everyone in Fairy Tail turned to Gray with wide eyes in surprise. "What?"

"When did this happen, Gray?" Mira asked with her lip twitching. Gray raised an eyebrow before seemingly realizing what he just said.

"Oh, crap…did I just say that aloud?" The entire guild nodded. Gray cleared his throat uncomfortably before turning to Juvia who looked almost possessed. "Juvia, if you promise to cut down on the clingy stuff, then I…wouldn't mind going on a date with you to Ryuzetsu Land two days from now."

"Of course, Gray-sama!" As usual, Juvia instantly latched herself to Gray's arm (ironically breaking her promise), but Gray seemed to nod in triumph. Wendy was the first to turn away as the crowd hastily quieted themselves.

"Next is Sting on drums and Rogue on the saxophone for Saber Tooth." The stadium was silent as the two overly cocky (in Wendy's opinion) boys took the stage. It felt like the entire audience knew about the rivalry that existed between the two guilds because they sat in reverent silence.

Sting started their performance off with a bang, his drumsticks instantly smashing into the drum set. The composition became clear as Rogue's saxophone rang across the stadium: they were going for the same kind of big-band-rock fusion that Quattro Cerberus had attempted. Unlike Bacchus and Rocker, however, they actually made it work. This made Wendy frown in concern at their teamwork. Sting almost constantly remained in rock mode with the giddiest smile on his face. It was Rogue who showed the depth of their experimental combo. The notes of his sax constantly teetered on the line between big band sound and making it rock. Wendy hated to say that they actually sounded good. In particular, she noted Sting's skill given his lackluster performance the first day and the fact that he looked so much like Natsu.

They finished to the great cries of the audience, excluding the guilds, of course.

"They didn't sound that good to me…" Lucy said in a disgruntled tone.

"It's bias either way," Levy observed. "We think it's _bad_ because they're Saber Tooth. The crowd thinks it's _good_ because they're Saber Tooth. All that matters is what the judges think, though."

"Natsu and Gajeel will win!" Wendy said with an emphatic fist pump. Both of her companions put their discussion to the side in order to smile at Wendy in agreement.

"For our final performance is Natsu on drums and Gajeel on the saxophone for Fairy Tail." Plenty of cheers filled the stadium all around Wendy, though their guild mates were quiet. Wendy could feel her heart beating away at her chest and she quickly clenched at her shirt to stop herself from shaking. Lucy put a hand on her shoulder and the bluenette looked into her smiling eyes.

"We'll win." That was all she said, but it meant the world to Wendy, who calmed down and turned back to her family. Gajeel cleared his throat loudly.

"This song is dedicated to our family in Fairy Tail," he announced. "We call it Best Friends."

"I _thought_ we agreed on Best Dragons!" Natsu complained. Gajeel shot him a glare.

"It's Best Friends, Salamander. Now start it up!"

"Fine…" Natsu waved off as he began clacking his drumsticks together. His first hit on his drums resounded through the stadium's silence. Wendy could tell from the beat what kind of song it was going to be. When Gajeel started on his sax, that theory was confirmed. The soul of jazz filled the stadium and everyone could see just how into it Natsu and Gajeel were. The smooth sound serenaded all of their ears, and that was when Wendy heard it. In fact, all of Fairy Tail and even the audience seemed to hear it, judging from their reactions.

"Are they…?" Levy began, her mouth gaping open.

"Yes, they are putting Gajeel's 'shoo-bee-doo-ba' into instrumental form," Lucy whispered back. The recognition of this made Wendy laugh under her breath.

As the song continued, those 'shoo-bee-doo-ba's became more violent to the point that a new tone took over the song. It was war. The drums and the saxophone clashed with one another like they were in an eternal battle for a spot of dominance. Like Bacchus and Rocker before them, she could hear the discordant sounds between Natsu and Gajeel, yet they never seemed truly opposed. It sounded more like they were weaving around each other. They were aiming blows that were always sidestepped. The performance had become a choreographed fight, and that description suited them perfectly. Soon their sounds reached such a level of loudness that had it been in a movie, it would have signaled the end of the world. But when the two clashed, the sound died away, and all that was left was a simple tapping on the drums.

Gajeel then began playing softy and quietly. As he played, he cast his gaze toward Fairy Tail along with Natsu, and looked Wendy right in the eye. A surge of pride caught in her chest and Wendy felt her right hand lift into the air, her index finger and thumb sticking out at a perpendicular angle. She heard the soft grunts of Lucy and Levy beside her before they, too, raised their hands into the air. Wendy didn't have to look in order to know: all of Fairy Tail was right behind her, their hands raised in unison. The action drew attention from all in the crowd and both Natsu and Gajeel smiled as their piece smoothed off to its finish. From jazz to war to inspiring, Wendy couldn't deny that their warring notes had been teamwork all meant for Fairy Tail.

As Natsu's rolling drum faded into silence, he stood up, with himself and Gajeel mimicking the guild while he cried, "We are Fairy Tail!"

Half the crowd went wild while the other half sat in complete silence with no words to say. The judges turned away to discuss the performances. Wendy lowered her hand as she continued to smile down on her family. Her gaze soon shifted over to Sting and Rogue, who actually looked nervous. It was only a few minutes more before the judges returned with the results.

"In sixth place," Chapati said, "is Quattro Cerberus for a wonderful attempt at combining genres going horribly awry. Fifth place goes to Mermaid Heel for a good but unoriginal performance. Fourth place is Blue Pegasus for a mellowing but also underwhelming performance. Now, in third place is Saber Tooth for good teamwork between Sting and Rogue. In second place is Lamia Scale thanks to their originality.

"And taking today's competition is Fairy Tail! For their back and forth and interesting blend, we award them first place!"

Fairy Tail gave a cry as Wendy and Lucy threw their arms around each other. Wendy's eyes began to tear up and she tried rubbing them in Lucy's shirt. Still, she took the moment to look up and peer through her tears at the scoreboard.

1st: Saber Tooth 50 pts

2nd: Fairy Tail 49 pts

3rd: Lamia Scale 43 pts

4th: Blue Pegasus 29 pts

5th: Mermaid Heel 27 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 12 pts

"All we need are two points to get the lead over Saber Tooth!" Wendy cried.

"And I'm sure we can do it!" Lucy agreed. Both of the girls turned around and left the guild section before any of their guild mates could. They dashed through the stadium halls to the field where both Natsu and Gajeel were soaking in the adoration. They almost immediately caught sight of Wendy and Lucy.

"I told you we'd win!" Natsu said with his wide grin. Wendy didn't stop running and she flung herself into her brother's arms. She still had those tears of joy streaming down her face as Natsu hugged her back. Gajeel chose not to join in on the hugging, opting instead for a grunt and a nod in Lucy's direction. Wendy wouldn't have any of that. She grabbed as much of Gajeel's arm as she could and pulled him straight to them. He stiffened against his cousins but eventually threw a lazy arm around them. Wendy positively beamed, her grin widening even further when she saw her parents, aunt, and uncle coming to join them.

"Chalk up another win for the Dragneels!" Igneel said as he snatched Natsu away and ruffled his hair. Natsu gave in to the good-natured fathering with a punch to his dad's shoulder.

"Knew you wouldn't let me down, kid," Metallicana said with a smirk. Gajeel gave him a scowl in return.

"I wasn't doin' it for you, dad!" Wendy's uncle just laughed at his son's indignity.

"Hey, guys," called Laxus from nearby. The four Fairy Tail musicians turned to look at their guild leader. "Before you spend the evening with your family, I want to remind you to get to the guild hall early tomorrow so we can run our ensemble pieces."

"You got it, Laxus!" Natsu said with a thumbs up. Laxus gave a pleased nod before he departed. Wendy tilted her head and watched him quickly catch up with Mira (who was berating Gray and Juvia) before linking his arm with hers and pulling her away. The sight made Wendy giggle gaily.

"What kind of pathetic performance was that? !" came a screech from the other side of the field. Wendy's family members quieted down as they turned to look at the burgeoning confrontation. Minerva was standing before Sting and Rogue who had the most downcast expressions she'd ever seen them wear. "You embarrassed us out there!"

Minerva was apoplectic, but what was strange was that she also seemed genuinely upset. Even from where they were standing, she almost looked to have tears in her eyes, her face blotchy and her veins practically pulsating on her head. Wendy took a brief look around and saw Jiemma standing near them, his own gaze disapproving and vicious.

"We're sorry, princess," Sting muttered, but his voice was loud and echoed in the stadium.

"You're sorry? ! You're _sorry_? !" Minerva screamed, making Wendy impressed that her voice could go so high and still be intelligible. "You lost to _Fairy Tail_! You lost to trash! You're better than them! You have to be better than them!"

"No, we don't," Rogue said, his eyes still obscured by his hair. Minerva looked at him furiously, her lip curling menacingly. She seemed to think that was enough to make Rogue kowtow to her, but the black-haired saxophonist had other ideas. "We don't _have_ to be better than them. Sometimes you can learn from a loss and become a better musician."

"Those are the words of a loser. Are you a loser, Rogue?" He didn't answer, but his gaze remained defiant on his so-called leader. "Saber Tooth doesn't lose, boys. There is too much at stake for us to lose."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have made that deal," Sting shot back, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Are you talking back to me, Sting?" Minerva strode up to him, easily matched his height and glared at him. Surprisingly, Sting didn't back down. "You'd do well to remember that you're just a lowly sophomore. I only put you out because you're better than some seniors. Then you go and lose to trash!"

"They're not trash!" Sting yelled. "They beat us! They beat us on day one, they beat us today. The only one who doesn't want to admit how good they are by this point is you! The worst part is that we kept believing you and underestimating them."

"Stop defying me!" Wendy could see Minerva losing it. All her control, all her self-dignified hatred was coming to the surface and exploding. Her own troops were rebelling against her and she couldn't stand it. "We…we are Saber Tooth!"

"Yeah, we are," Sting concurred, "but it doesn't mean we're better than Fairy Tail." Having made his statement, Sting turned around and attempted to leave the stadium.

"Get back here, Sting! We have to rehearse for tomorrow!"

"Do it on your own. I'm hungry," Sting passed off with a wave. "Maybe once you stop treating us like your own personal troops, we'll go back. Let's go, Rogue."

"Yeah…" Rogue said, following after his friend. Minerva looked ready to scream.

"Rogue, we can work this out, can't we?" Her voice had cracked, revealing the sliver of desperation she had. It was like everything she was working for was coming undone. The wheels were coming off her carefully oiled machine.

"Not interested," he shot back before both he and Sting had vanished.

"So…what do you say we all get some grub?" Igneel suddenly said, hoping to break the silent tension.

"Sounds great!" Natsu replied. "I could really go for some hot wings!"

"You go for anything that lights your tongue on fire, Salamander, including fire," Gajeel said. Wendy laughed at the true statement and linked her arms with both of theirs. Lucy gave a quick wave and kiss to Natsu before she left the family to find her own.

"I hope I can compete on your level someday, guys," Wendy confessed to the pair.

"You know you will," Natsu said with a nudge to her side. "You already took third place in sectionals. That's pretty impressive for a freshman."

"Besides, since when were you all into competitions, kiddo?" Gajeel asked. "Last I checked, you hated _any_ kind of confrontation. What changed?"

"Nothing changed!" Wendy defended herself. "Maybe I've just come to the realization that I actually do like competing on a musical level."

"So, the Dragneel Family Competitive Spirit has awoken inside you, young one," Natsu said in a sagely voice. "Or as we call it: the Dragneel Force."

"That's stupid! She's not even related to you by blood. If anything, it should be the Redfox Force!" Gajeel had leaned over to say this and Natsu matched his movements. This resulted in Wendy suddenly becoming squished in between them.

"Where does that even possibly sound cool? ! Dragneel at least sounds like dragon."

"It's not my fault you have an obsession with dragons!"

"Dragons are cool, Metal Face! And Wendy's my sister anyway, so I get to say what it's called." Realizing her brother and cousin were a second away from fighting for real, Wendy brought her hands out and pushed them away. It didn't stop their argument, though.

"Hey, guys," Wendy called over their discordant voices.

"What? !"

"I love you guys," she said before skipping ahead to join the adults (who were in a much more mature conversation).

"What was that about?" Gajeel asked, absolutely dumbfounded.

"No idea…Let's eat!"

Wendy chuckled. This certainly was her family, and she wouldn't trade them for the world.

* * *

"Hurry up, girls. None of us can afford to be late today," Erza commanded.

Wendy stifled a slight yawn at the same time as Meredy, pulling on her shorts as she stared blankly ahead. She had spent the majority of yesterday with her family at a restaurant in the city. They had had a lot of fun…at least until Natsu and Gajeel invaded the ball pit and started a war that both scared away many children and didn't end until Wendy yelled at them. Nevertheless, the three of them returned to camp arm in arm, only separating to head to their cabins. After that, Wendy fell into a euphoric sleep until Erza had so rudely woken them.

"I don't want to go," Meredy whispered harshly next to Wendy's ear. She was leaning languidly against their bedpost, her face somewhere between falling asleep and wide awake. "Don't make me go, Wendy."

"Suck it up," Wendy uttered irritably. "Sorry…that sounded mean."

"It's o…okay," Meredy said with a yawn. Wendy finished putting her hair into her signature twintails and then grabbed both a bagel and a chocolate chip muffin from the plate near the cabin entrance. She barely managed to wolf them down before all of the other girls were ready to go.

Like before, Erza led them out of the cabin and into the damp morning air. The coolness revitalized Wendy and the other girls, and by the time they reached the guild hall, they were all chatting animatedly with one another. When they stepped foot inside, they broke apart once again, each joining their section in order to tune their instruments.

"Hey…" Romeo groaned, looking as tired as she had felt moments before.

"Hey, yourself, Sleepyhead," she giggled. "You ready?"

"Yup!" Romeo agreed before yawning widely. "Let's kick some Saber ass." Juvia then called them all to order. The clarinets were able to tune themselves before Laxus and Gildarts called them into place. Their ensemble practice was a different experience than usual considering that instead of doing their own thing, Gildarts was actually conducting them. If anything, his assistance helped them to find more order in their piece than they had expected and ended up bringing out their best.

With practice concluded, they once more got into marching order, the section leaders at the front this time, and all of the members carrying their instruments. Gildarts stood at the head of the column and gave them the order to march. They all kept in time with one another, the entire guild wearing the same resolve on all their faces. Cheers met them as they reached the stadium and stepped onto the field.

"Today is day four of the Grand Music Games and already we've seen fierce competition," Chapati called to the raving crowd. "Will today's competition decide the outcome of the games, or will we see a heated battle to the very end?"

"Hmm, I think the most important guilds to watch are Fairy Tail and Saber Tooth, but I couldn't say who will win," Yajima commented.

"I concur with Mr. Yajima," Doranbolt stated. "If this competition had shown us anything, it's that these two guilds are evenly matched." Wendy's brow crinkled at his comment and she surreptitiously looked in Saber Tooth's direction. Their general demeanor was totally changed from yesterday. Gone were the smug guild members, replaced with subdued and somber versions. None of them looked very happy to be there, not even Minerva, whose cheeks were still blotchy and whose lips were turned into a sneer.

"Now, today's competition is the Ensemble Competition, meaning that all of the guild members _must_ participate," Chapati said, bringing notice back to him. "Each guild will perform approximately half an hour of music, after which they will be ranked. Today the points each guild will receive is lower than the previous days. First place will receive five points and then each place will go down in increments of one."

"Performing first," Lahar announced once Chapati's explanation had finished, "is Quattro Cerberus."

It came as no surprise to anyone, including Wendy, when Quattro Cerberus' performance fell absolutely flat. It was half an hour of torture that everyone wished could end roughly five minutes in. Wendy, for her part, wished she could cover her ears but, of course, she just happened to be holding onto her clarinet. She loved music; she really did, but what Quattro Cerberus was playing was anything _but_ music.

Mermaid Heel's performance on the other hand, was like a healing balm to her ears. The all-female guild was graceful and light, but Wendy felt that they lacked a strong bass line from their drums, baritones, and tubas. It made sense, considering that they had mostly performed poorly in those sections on day one. Still, like their experimental performance, it was technically impressive enough to be passable.

Blue Pegasus came next, and their performance was just…odd. It was almost like they couldn't decide whether they wanted to serenade the crowd, emote to the crowd, or just amuse them. It was certainly an interesting collection of music to listen to, but nothing more than that. Wendy shared Juvia's sentiments when the older bluenette called it uninspired. Their entire guild put it behind them as they broke for intermission. When they returned, Lamia Scale was setting up for their performance.

As expected, Lamia was their toughest competition so far. They moved efficiently, with not a note out of place, but at the same time, Wendy could feel the emotion pouring out of the song. This was only aided by their conductor, who Laki called Jura Neekis. He was perfunctory, but at the same time his movements were exuberant and wholly enthralled with the performance. When Lamia Scale stepped down, they were met with wild applause.

Then came Saber Tooth. Wendy watched them closely and noticed that the difference in their attitude was even sharper now. They didn't make a sound as they sat down and many of their eyes were downcast. Sting and Rogue in particular almost looked like they just wanted to walk away. The performance that followed was probably the most lackluster they had given so far. While it certainly sounded fine, there was something missing from their performance, barring the instance where they slipped out of tune. It was like they could no longer work together; like Natsu and Gajeel's victory the day prior had defeated their whole guild. Their performance concluded in the same way and they sulked off the stage.

Fairy Tail moved to the stage soon after and Wendy sat next to Laki, prepared to play. Gildarts raised his conductor's baton and they embarked on their half hour musical journey. Wendy couldn't quite remember such a marathon of music playing. Sure, she had taken part in any number of concerts, but never a continuous half-hour. She was determined to pull through, though. She was surrounded by her guild mates and that gave her strength. She didn't falter once until at last the final note ended and she took a breath of relief.

Once Fairy Tail cleared the stage, the guilds moved to stand next to each other while the judges deliberated and Wendy found herself teetering on her feet when they turned back around.

"In sixth is Quattro Cerberus," Chapati called. "In fifth, Blue Pegasus, fourth is Mermaid Heel, third is Saber Tooth. Second place goes to Fairy Tail while Lamia Scale receives first for such an uplifting performance."

Chatter ascended through the crowd at Saber Tooth's rank but Wendy hardly cared. Neither did the rest of Fairy Tail. Their whole guild moved to glance at the scoreboard shining above them.

1st: Fairy Tail 53 pts

1st: Saber Tooth 53 pts

3rd: Lamia Scale 48 pts

4th: Blue Pegasus 30 pts

5th: Mermaid Heel 29 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 12 pts

"I guess that's what we get for not practicing with Gildarts the whole week," Romeo commented. "Still, we're tied for first place!"

"Yeah!" Wendy cried, giving him a high five. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Hey, I just got a text from my dad," Lucy said. "He says we're all going to lunch together. You can come, too, Romeo, if you're not busy."

"On your dad's jewel? I'm there," Romeo said cheerily. The three woodwinds joined the exodus from the stadium and met up with Natsu at the guild hall where they put their instruments away before departing for the camp entrance.

"Who's this young man?" Jude asked as soon as he caught sight of Romeo.

"Oh, that's just Romeo," Lucy dismissed but her father still looked concerned. "He's just a guild member and Wendy's future boyfriend."

"Lucy!" yelled the two mentioned persons, each wearing a blush. Lucy just laughed while her father shrugged in acceptance. Wendy silently fumed but noticed that Romeo had somehow retreated to Natsu's side.

"So, this is odd, dad," Lucy started up. "You almost never take any of us out to eat."

"Well, I was in a celebratory mood, and I have an announcement to make," Jude replied.

"Ooh, what kind of announcement, Papa Heartfilia?" Natsu asked. A small scowl passed over Jude's face.

"Don't call me that, Natsu," he reprimanded. He suddenly stopped and turned to the four musicians. "The Heartfilia Railways Board of Directors has made a decision regarding the funds to the Music Program. Should Fairy Tail win the Games and the Program wins all their competitions this marching season, we plan to donate a certain amount." Shared glances passed between the Fairy Tail members.

"What kind of amount?" Jude took a breath and smiled before answering.

"A grand total of one hundred million Jewel."

* * *

**Author's Note: There we go. This was a difficult chapter to write. Anyway, next chapter is the end of Act 2, so I'm sure you'll all want to stay tune. On the note of Lucy's dad: I didn't want to make him this horrible guy so I went with the improved relationship that Lucy started having with him before he kicked the bucket. Anyway…New chapter was hilarious, wasn't it? Pantherva confirmed (or Minerlily)! Ha ha…If this chapter was so funny, I'd hate to see what we'll get socked with in the near future (that's a lie). Also, this week's episode was fantastic! Better pacing with one chapter than with two! Well, whatever. Let me know what you think, Review, and Dare to Be Silly.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Music! Inrigue! Romance! Take your pick…Just think about one question for me: are brand names on fanfiction actually all that matters when it comes to scoring high numbers of reviews?**

* * *

Chapter 11

"One…one hundred million!" Natsu's brain looked like it was practically going to fry itself. He started to hold up his fingers as if he was going to count up to the number mentioned. "That's like a hundred times…times…"

"A million?" Romeo asked dryly. Natsu looked to the younger boy in shock. Wendy laughed at the expression on his face.

"That's a pretty hefty sum, dad," Lucy said concernedly. "Why so much? And, for that matter, why the stipulations?" Jude cleared his throat and indicated that they should keep walking while he answered her question. Wendy could see her parents and their cars approaching.

"The board doesn't want to bet on an unsure thing," he explained. "While Magnolia High has always been the best, they want to make sure they're sponsoring something worth sponsoring. Especially with the program's recent tussle with Orlando, they want to be assured of its viability and existence."

"Isn't one hundred million a lot, though, Mr. Heartfilia?" Wendy asked. "I mean, wouldn't that hurt your company?"

"Not really," Jude admitted. "Our railroad expansion has gone international and we plan to unveil our subway project next month. On top of this, we recently bought out Junelle Industries. Heartfilia Railways is in more than a prime position to put up this kind of money."

"Oh…" Wendy uttered, a little unsure of what to make of that statement. Jude just smiled warmly at her as they finally reached the other group of parents.

"You were wonderful today," Grandine said, catching both Wendy and Natsu into a bone-crushing hug. They both smiled as best as they could but were relieved when their mother let go of them. "We'll all be cheering for your guild on the last day."

"Romeo! Over here, Romeo!"

"Dad?" Wendy turned her head along with everyone else to watch the man approaching them at a brisk pace. "What are you doing here? When did you get here?"

"Just this morning. I had to leave the bar in Wakaba's care and he wasn't really willing until today," the man, clearly Romeo's father, said.

"Wakaba, huh? That's just an accident waiting to happen."

"Hey, Macao, it's been a while!" Natsu said. To Wendy's surprise, he flung his arm around the older man in a friendly gesture.

"Yeah, it has been, Natsu," Macao said as he brusquely removed Natsu's arm from his shoulder. "You haven't been by the bar recently. Same with you, Lucy."

"I'm pretty sure Cana drinks enough for all of us," Lucy admitted with a wave of greeting.

"That's true," Macao agreed with a laugh. By this point, the other parents had begun talking amongst themselves, leaving Wendy alone and unattached. Romeo's father seemed to catch sight of this. "Who's this little lady? Don't tell me she's _your_ sister, Natsu? She looks far too sweet to be related to you."

"Dad, this is Wendy, and yes, she is Natsu's sister," Romeo introduced her after coming to stand right next to her. "Wendy, this is my dad, Macao Conbolt."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Conbolt," Wendy said respectfully with a slight bow. Macao gave a good-natured laugh.

"Just call me Macao. Everyone else does," he said with a smile. "So, you're Natsu's sister…the one we've all heard about?"

"Natsu, just how many people do you mention me to?" Wendy asked. Natsu didn't answer and instead rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Well, you must be someone special to be able to put up with this son of mine."

"Real great for my self esteem, dad," Romeo whined as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm only joking, Romeo," Macao said with a thump to his son's back. Suddenly, his phone started ringing and he brought it out with a scowl. "What do you mean 'all the beer is gone'? Did you drink it or something? Well, go and restock it, then! No, I don't care if your daughter is planning to screw Thibault!"

"Did Wakaba already screw something up?" Romeo chuckled out.

"Ugh, I gotta deal with this," Macao said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It was good meeting you, Wendy. Maybe I'll see you in the bar some time. Later, Romeo."

"Bye, dad!" Romeo called once his dad had already walked away. He then turned to Wendy with a grin. "Don't let him pressure you into going to the bar."

"Hey, she's not stepping foot into one or drinking a drop of alcohol until she's legal age!" Natsu said angrily. Romeo backed away from him. Wendy, meanwhile, slid her eyes over to Lucy and the two fought to restrain giggles.

"Natsu, you do realize that I turn fifteen in September, right?" Wendy asked.

"Don't remind me," he grumbled off. "Anyway, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I thought we'd go on a date in the city," Lucy said. "Needless to say that we haven't started our relationship in the most conventional of ways."

"Sorry, Lucy, but I already made plans to hang with Romeo, here. Says he has something he wants to talk to me about." Lucy pouted for a second but then let this issue go with a shrug.

"All right…how about you and me hang out tomorrow, Wendy?"

"Sounds fun!" Wendy agreed. Inside, she was very happy. At least now she wouldn't have to find something to do tomorrow. "But we probably shouldn't keep our parents waiting anymore."

"Ha ha, agreed." Wendy and Lucy then led the group over to their parents.

Much like the day before, Wendy spent her time amongst her family and friends, even if a lot of strangeness was packaged with it. Sometimes, she felt like herself and Lucy were the only sane ones of the bunch, but then Lucy would suddenly say the weirdest things that once almost made Wendy spit her drink out. They hadn't been the only ones out and about on the town. They had run into the entire Strauss family, who were out shopping, and even Laxus, who was despondently trailing after his grandfather. The number of seats at their table also got bigger when the combined Fullbuster-Milkovitch family joined. Ultear and Meredy (who was with them) got into a lively conversation with the girls while Gray argued with Natsu, Romeo tried to stop them, and Lyon sat there in a state of dejection. It was only after Igneel and Silver Fullbuster had nearly passed out from a drinking competition that they decided to pack it up and return to camp.

As Wendy settled into her bed that night, listening to Meredy talk about the most random things above her, she smiled widely. Even with all of the horrible things that Minerva had done, the last two weeks had been some of the best of her life. She didn't want to see it end quite yet, but as she finally fell asleep, she was all too glad that she had experienced it.

* * *

Wendy woke up moderately late the next morning. She wasn't the only one. While some people like Levy and Ultear were already gone, others (here meaning Meredy) were actually still asleep with her arm hanging over the edge of the bed. Juvia had practically commandeered the bathroom for her date with Gray while Erza was shuffling nervously. Wendy found out why as she and Lucy made to leave for the day.

"Oh…Wendy," Jellal said, looking like a deer in headlights. "Is…is Erza here?"

"Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure she's-"

"Yes, your girlfriend is busy wearing a hole in the floor," Lucy said. Wendy moved out of the way to allow Jellal to enter the cabin. Both he and Erza froze when they saw one another.

"Oh….J-Jellal. You-you're early." Wendy raised her eyebrow in amusement. From what she understood, they had been dating for quite some time, yet were still acting like they barely spoke to each other.

"Okay, you two have fun at the awkward party. Let's go, Wendy," Lucy said, and she dragged the bluenette out of the cabin.

Wendy quickly learned that the only way to get into the city of Crocus without a car was to take the bus from outside the pizza parlor. It came as a surprise to Wendy to find Chelia there with Lyon, although the pinkette actually seemed to be in a bad mood, so she made sure to avoid her. Also on the bus were Cana and Bacchus (both of whom were already drinking) as well as Laxus and Mira, with the former looking incredibly groggy once the bus started moving. Wendy giggled over this fact since it appeared he had the same kind of motion sickness as Natsu when he forgot to wear his patch.

"What do we want to do today?" Wendy asked Lucy. The blonde turned to him with a smile.

"I thought we'd hang out at the Crocus Amusement Park for a bit and then go shopping. My dad gave me a bunch of money so we can pretty much do whatever," Lucy told her. Wendy positively lit up. She absolutely _loved_ amusement parks!

"Oh, can we go on the Snowballs? !" Wendy asked excitedly. Lucy laughed.

"Sometimes, you can be such a little kid with these things, Wendy," she teased. "Then again, so can your brother, so it's no surprise."

The duo soon arrived in the city and Wendy made it her mission to be one of the first off the bus, dragging Lucy with her all the way. She only realized after she stepped off that she didn't know where they were going. Thankfully, Lucy did and she gestured to the giant rollercoaster in the background. Wendy happily liked her arm with Lucy's and the two ran towards the amusement park. It was bustling with long lines by the time they got there and the girls were forced to wait almost ten minutes before they got in. During their wait, they plotted the most efficient course for maximum enjoyment.

Their course was surprisingly sidelined by an unexpected sight.

"Sting? And Rogue? !" Lucy exclaimed, stopping dead in her tracks. The two Saber Tooth musicians looked up from the bench they were bent over. "You two look like hell."

"We rode…the Deliora Scream Coaster…" Sting wheezed out. "Big mistake…"

"I thought Minerva would have roped you two into practice today or something," Lucy said with a fold of her arms and pursed lips. Both of the boys seemed to recover from their sickness at this and looked at Lucy with somber eyes.

"She tried to," Rogue said, tucking some of his hair away.

"We boycotted," Sting admitted. "Well, us, Rufus, Orga and Yukino did, at least. Minerva couldn't really do much with the five of us gone."

"What? You guys don't want to win anymore?" Lucy asked in disbelief. Sting sighed in response.

"Honestly, I don't know anymore. With our loss the other day, I doubt we'd get in the program even if Minerva _did_ get her way."

"She and her father weren't very happy with us," Rogue stated.

"We saw," Wendy said, deciding to inject herself into the conversation. Sting and Rogue appeared to finally take notice of her. Their eyes widened a moment before their heads dipped back down in shame.

"Hey, Wendy," Sting began nervously, scratching the back of his neck, "I'm sorry."

"Uh, what for?"

"I said some really nasty things about you that were clearly untrue," he confessed.

"Yeah, we were really out of line," Rogue said. "I hope you can forgive us."

"Of course," Wendy said. The boys breathed in genuine relief and Wendy smiled at them. Even though they had been so smug before, their heartfelt apology changed Wendy's entire opinion on them. They really weren't as bad as she thought.

"You did pretty good on that first day," Sting said cheerfully. "Dorbengal was fuming about it for hours!"

"Hey, no ass-kissing!" Lucy warned, causing Sting to laugh.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Hey, if you'd like, the four of us can spend the day together. We wouldn't mind the company."

"I think the lady has other plans," said someone from behind them. Both Lucy and Wendy turned to look at the newcomer. Lucy's face lit up in joy.

"Loke!" she squealed and she threw her arms around the man. When she pulled back, Wendy got a better look at him. Loke was tall, but not in an imposing way. He had bright orange locks and wore a pair of tinted sunglasses that were currently halfway down his nose. He also had a tiny smirk on his face that Wendy wasn't sure ever left it.

"Hey there, beautiful," Loke commented before holding Lucy at arm's length. "You look different. There's a rosy glow about you that there wasn't before."

"Ha ha, you think so?" Lucy giggled out. "If I do, then you do, too. Is Aries with you?"

"She's buying some cotton candy. You know how she loves the stuff."

"You like it, too, Leo. Don't lie," said a more timid voice. Wendy turned her head and noticed a pink-haired girl standing next to Loke with two tufts of cotton candy in her hand. She supposed that this girl was Aries, and "Leo" was simply Loke's nickname.

"Only because you like it," Loke replied smoothly, taking his share of the cotton candy. Lucy cooed at Loke's words.

"Uh…we're just gonna go," Sting said in his attempt to leave the area. "Rogue, let's ride the Tower of Heaven!"

"Are you kidding me, Sting? I am not barfing all over the place for the rest of the day."

"You guys get motion sick?" Wendy asked. The two nodded dumbly and Wendy went into her purse. "Here, they're Troia Patches. I keep them on hand for Natsu."

"Seriously? You're awesome, Wendy!" Sting yelled gleefully. He hastily took the patch and affixed it to his neck. "Woo hoo! Tower of Heaven, here we come!"

"Sting!" Rogue yelled after the manic blond. He sighed deeply. "I swear, someday he's gonna make me want to kill him. Well, see you later." With that, the two Saber Tooth musicians were gone.

"So, this is Natsu's sister, huh?" Loke asked, bringing the attention back to him. Wendy rolled her eyes. What was with everybody asking this question lately?

"Has he gone around talking about me to everyone?" she asked Lucy in exasperation.

"Pretty much," Lucy laughed out. Suddenly, Loke snapped his fingers.

"Natsu…the two of you are dating now!" Lucy smiled coyly but didn't say anything as Loke congratulated himself. Aries, meanwhile, squealed wildly (drawing some attention) before even more people joined the conversation that was already going. Wendy started to wonder when they'd ride the Snowballs…if ever.

"Really, he finally spat it out?"

"Took him long enough," said a black-haired male. He had short-cropped hair and had an arm slung around a green-haired, exotic looking woman. Lucy snorted once she looked at them.

"Like you're one to talk, Alzack. You pined after Bisca for five years before you said anything. Now, what are all of you doing here?" Lucy said, giving a hug to the green-haired woman that Wendy supposed was Bisca.

"What? We can't come out to support our old guild?" Bisca asked. "Seems like you guys are neck and neck with Saber Tooth from what we've heard."

"Rivalry's still going strong then?" Alzack asked.

"If only you knew…" Lucy said with a slight waver to her voice. Wendy noted that she hadn't mentioned the _actual_ conditions of the rivalry. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Wendy. This is Loke and Aries, who are planning to be college freshmen at Celeste University in the fall, and Alzack and Bisca, who are sophomores at Magnolia University. All of them are old members of Fairy Tail and apparently Bisca's engaged. When did this happen?"

"Last month!" Bisca exclaimed. "Of course, I had to do the asking."

"I was planning on it…" Alzack mumbled out. "I just never got around to it before she did."

"Same old Alzack," Lucy said with a shake of her head. "So, you guys will be watching us tomorrow?"

"We'll be rooting for you!" Bisca said, pumping her left fist. Wendy could see the diamond studded ring on her finger.

"Give Natsu our regards," Loke said. He pushed his sunglasses up while he peered at Wendy. "It was great meeting you, Wendy."

"Yeah," Wendy mumbled out, still feeling slightly awkward about the whole encounter.

"Let's go ride the Nirvana Coaster, Leo," Aries said before pulling her boyfriend away. Loke gave Lucy a wave as he was dragged off.

"We should probably head off, too. Bisca's parents got us tickets for Ryuzetsu Land," Alzack said.

"Give our greetings to Gray and Juvia while you're there," Lucy snickered out. Bisca raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she hugged Lucy again and then couple took off. "So…Snowballs?"

"Yes!" Wendy said ecstatically. The two of them set off in the direction of that ride. Wendy's mind turned towards the people she had just met as they made their way. It seemed like almost everyone in Fairy Tail was in some sort of relationship or another. No doubt it was a result of having Mirajane in the guild, but it still made Wendy feel somewhat lonely. Her own bother and the girl she considered her sister were together; then there was Gray and Juvia, Jellal and Erza, and even Gajeel and Levy. For a brief moment, she almost wondered if she'd be able to find that kind of romantic happiness. But with who? Romeo?

The thought made her flush as she stepped into the Snowballs. No, she couldn't think like that. Her musical career and education were too important to her. There was no time to even consider a love life. She slapped herself to help being those thoughts back to the surface and resolved to enjoy herself.

All things considered, the Crocus Amusement Park was one of the most fun places she'd ever been to. Even Lucy concurred. Since, thankfully, Wendy hadn't shown any signs of motion sickness like the rest of her family, both she and Lucy were able to ride almost every ride in the park, screaming wildly the whole time. They had only taken a small break for lunch, during which they met Gajeel (who was bent over a trash can) and Levy. After exchanging words, the two pairs parted ways. In fact, by the time they had departed the amusement park for the shopping district, they had seen numerous members of their guild, including a lurking Elfman and Evergreen.

"I swear, those two are hilarious…" Lucy said, holding her stomach while she laughed. "Though I do feel kind of bad for Elfman. I think he must have a masochistic streak."

"He'd probably just say that 'being masochistic is manly'," Wendy said, trying to make her voice go deep like Elfman's but failing.

"That's true…Speaking of men, by the way," Lucy said with a curious glance, "what is the deal with you and Romeo?"

"Why does everyone assume I like Romeo? !"

"Probably because you went to the Dance Festival together," Lucy told her honestly.

"As _friends_," she attempted to stress, but the denial seemed just a little too forced.

"We've just been noticing that you spend a lot of time with him lately."

"He's fun to be around," Wendy admitted defensively. "That doesn't mean I have to like him like that!"

"Do you, though? Like him, I mean."

"I…" Wendy paused. What exactly were her feelings towards Romeo? Still, she wasn't about to betray her confusion to Lucy. "I don't dislike him."

"So, you're not going to commit either way?" Lucy sighed deeply for a moment. "Look, the only reason I'm saying all this is because I'm pretty sure that Romeo likes you, and not in the way that you like bunnies, or Carla, or Chelia."

"He…he does?"

"You doubt it?" Lucy asked in utter disbelief. "Have you even seen the way he looks at you?"

Wendy looked down at her feet and began to twiddle her fingers. "I don't really pay attention to that kind of stuff."

"Maybe you should," Lucy told her softly. The girls stopped walking for a moment and Wendy joined Lucy in sitting on a nearby bench. "I know that at your age, you might not think relationships are worth it. I thought so, too…but the music will always be there. People won't."

"Are you saying I should give up on my musical career for a relationship that could end in a few weeks?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that…how do I put this? People can be there without music, but music always needs people. Those people can change, though, and you may just end up left with regret over not acting sooner."

"But I don't like Romeo that way!" She was protesting to deaf ears now. Heck, she was even starting to feel like her own ears were deaf to the statement.

"I know you think you don't, but I'm pretty confident that _he_ does. I don't know if he'll act on it, but I think you should know. He's a good guy."

"I know he's a good guy, but…" Wendy couldn't make sense of it anymore. She cast her eyes downward in lost confusion. What was she supposed to think now? Lucy appeared to take pity on her, because she took her arm and stood.

"Come on, let's get some ice cream," Lucy said kindly. Wendy nodded half-heartedly and followed after her.

After that, she just felt like she was going through the motions of shopping. Wendy could hardly even remember their shopping trip, only that she walked away with a few hair ribbons. Everyone was telling her about Romeo, and while Wendy could agree that he was probably boyfriend material, she simply couldn't shake the dream of her musical career. Love and relationships were always second to that. It didn't matter if the boy was cute and kind, and heart-racing, and currently calling her name wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks and a towel over his shoulder.

"You okay, Wendy? You look dazed…and flushed." Romeo's voice jerked Wendy out of whatever thought process she was in and she stumbled backward in mortification.

"I'm fine! Totally fine! You are how? I mean, how are you?" She couldn't believe she was rambling. Was that the effect that Lucy's words were having on her, and was Romeo always so handsome? _No, stop it!_

"I'm good…" he said tentatively. "Just got back from the pool with Natsu. How about you?"

"Sh-shopping, I think?"

"You think?" Romeo said amusedly. Wendy felt the sudden urge to slap herself in the face. She didn't, though, and chose to focus on the only moving thing in the vicinity, which just so happened to be Romeo. _Wow, his chest is really toned…and kind of distracting…_ "Are you sure you're okay? Your face is really red."

"I'm totally fine. I'm sorry…I just have to um…uh…" She quickly cast around for something, some sort of idea to get her out of this. Like how she really wouldn't mind if Romeo never put on a shirt again. _NO! Shut up, brain!_ "I just have to use the bathroom. Bye!"

She barely heard Romeo's farewell as she dashed towards her cabin. To her great relief, no one was inside when she entered. Clearly Lucy had gotten distracted by Natsu. Almost immediately, Wendy sunk down to the floor with her back against the door. Why was she getting so worked up over this? It was like all her pent up denial was breaking down and Wendy wasn't even sure what she was supposed to feel anymore. Like a robot, Wendy stood and dumped her stuff on her bed. She then flopped upon it and resisted the urge to groan, which didn't help when images of a shirtless Romeo were cemented in her head.

Realizing it was futile, she flipped over and buried her face in her pillow.

_Stupid Romeo Conbolt._

* * *

"All right, this is it," Laxus said to the silent guild hall.

It was finally the last day of the Grand Music Games and the entire guild was packed tight, ready for Laxus' final orders as guild leader to come down. Wendy shuffled nervously, or maybe it was anticipation. She wasn't sure, but she knew that today was very likely the most important day of her life thus far. Everything she had hopes for rode on their performance this day. Fairy Tail had to win.

"You guys know the score," Laxus said. He was pacing back and forth in front of the guild mates, his eyes sliding smoothly along them. "We have to beat Saber Tooth. I don't care if it's fifth or first; all that matters is that we beat them, or there won't be a program to continue in. So, let's do our best out there. Who are we?"

"We're Fairy Tail!" the guild cried, Wendy adding her own voice to the mix. Laxus' words had inspired her and she was ready to help bring home a Fairy Tail victory.

"You kids ready, then?" Gildarts called from the front of the hall. The guild simply put itself into marching order as a response. Wendy checked to make sure her guild colors were still on her before breathing deeply. Then Gildarts gave the order and they began to march. It was almost nerve-wracking, the closer the stadium came. She could hear the cheers of anticipation that reminded her that her family and even people who had probably once brought Fairy Tail to victory were waiting in that crowd to watch them. It gave her strength to realize how supported they were.

"Here we are," Chapati said. His voice was lower and more dramatic than it had been the last few days, setting the stage for the final day's events. "The final day has begun and we're seeing a neck and neck race for first place. Who will come out the winner? Fairy Tail or Saber Tooth? Only today's performances will tell. Today's competition is split into two parts: the first will have the guilds in a randomly selected order perform the marching show alone. They will only play one of the three pieces, also selected randomly."

"I'm sure Macky boy made it look impressive with just the individual guilds," Yajima commented. Chapati gave a short laugh.

"After the guilds perform, we will take a break until evening time when the Magnolia Marching Band will perform this year's show: Heavenly Ascent, featuring the three pieces Tenrou's Dream, Nirvana's March, and The Floating Lands. After that, the final scores will be given using the same ranking system as day four. Now, Mato, if you will choose the first guild to perform."

It took only a few seconds before the first guild was chosen. "First up will be Lamia Scale performing Nirvana's March, punkin."

Wendy gave a quick glance to Lamia Scale and noticed Chelia tucked in amongst their ranks before she was lost from sight, blocked by the shifting crowds. Wendy closed her eyes, hoping to block out any other performances. Like the first day, she couldn't focus on those things if she wanted to put her best foot forward…literally. As Lamia Scale played, she found herself fingering the notes on her clarinet, practicing them as best as she could. She hardly noticed when they had finished.

"Next is Fairy Tail playing Tenrou Dream, punkin!" Wendy breathed in. This was it. Natsu began the cadence that counted them off and she took her first step in accordance with it. The entire guild made their setup on the field as once more Natsu indicated to begin. Considering that Tenrou Dream was undoubtedly the hardest of their three songs (given that it was last), Wendy felt they performed it very well. It was amazing how smoothly they moved and Wendy remembered how Romeo had told her on the first day that it would all be instinct. It was. She didn't need to think…she just moved. When she took her final step and played her final note, she felt like she had done it. It didn't matter what guilds would come after. She had done the best she could.

The guilds that played after were all a haze in her mind. Blue Pegasus had played The Floating Lands next while Saber Tooth had played an uninspired version of Nirvana's Light. Quattro Cerberus played Tenrou Dream again and Mermaid Heel finished the set with The Floating Lands once more. It was already lunch by the time all the performances had finished and each guild went separately to the dining hall.

For once, Fairy Tail wasn't as rowdy as usual. Even Natsu, who was typically the center of attention, was quiet. He had silently sidled up to Wendy sometime during their walk and pulled her close to him. It was a kind gesture that showed he thought everything would be all right. Gajeel echoed the same sentiments with a grunt and a nod, Gray offered a smile and Lucy gave a small squeeze of her hand. Everyone was trying to be encouraging to one another and Wendy tossed a smile to every member in order to do her part.

They returned to the guild hall after lunch, where they spent equal time practicing the three pieces and playing various card games courtesy of Cana. As the clock read six forty-five, the guild stood once again to leave for the stadium silently. Somehow, that didn't feel right to her. Fairy Tail wasn't the type to leave quietly.

"Hey, everyone," Wendy called, hoping her guild mates would hear her. "I love Fairy Tail. So, let's show everyone else our love for our guild."

For a moment, Wendy thought they would all look at her like she was crazy. Then Laxus smirked, and like she did the day before, raised his hand in the Fairy Tail sign. The guild followed and Wendy did the same with a giant smile. She saw her family staring back at her in pride and then she saw Romeo. He was grinning just as widely and his eyes were filled with admiration. Wendy turned away with a blush. This wasn't the time for it.

Now was the time for victory.

Together with her guild, she marched out. They all met up with the other guilds outside the stadium to arrange themselves for their performance. Wendy found herself (as expected) next to Chelia who acknowledged her with a nod. Then the drum majors began counting off and Wendy and her best friend moved forward. Under the stadium lights, the stands seemed more packed than earlier and Wendy felt a small bead of sweat roll down her neck. At the front she could see the guild colors being twirled about by the color guard. Laxus, Erza, and Mira all stood before them and raised their hands.

"Now introducing the Magnolia High Marching Band's program, Heavenly Ascent."

Chapati finished his introduction and the drum majors began to conduct. In tandem with her fellow clarinets, Wendy began to play The Floating Lands. It was a light and airy song that wanted to put a skip into anyone's step, but the bluenette knew she had to remain committed. Her steps and the music led her to where she needed to go. If she remembered from her marching packet, the show for this part consisted of numerous, moving swirls that coalesced into an island shape before magically bursting apart. The band came to a halt momentarily after that had happened.

The next song was faster. Nirvana's March was exactly as its title described: a march. The band moved in 6/8 time, making sure to keep themselves perfunctory in every step they took. What made the piece so different from an actual march was the darker territory to which it descended. At moments, it would be your standard big band march before slowing to a near dirge all of a sudden. This was impacted by the marching which matched both time and tempo but also seemed to shift between a shining star and a moon to represent darkness.

It was the last song that proved the most fulfilling of all. Tenrou Dream was in every way a finale. The song began as a complement to the marching tune but was overall sweeter. Just when it seemed to be happy, the harsh tones of action set in and the band was sent into a frantic, yet orchestrated, scramble. The piece soon reached its zenith before swelling into a heartwarming song that boasted tears, happiness, friendship and all those redeeming qualities. The band remained frozen when the song finished.

As expected, the crowd erupted in cheers. In the lights, Wendy could see the judges turning around to discuss the performances. Obviously they had seen the entire thing from above. The band broke from its rigid form as all the guild mates tried to find one another. Wendy quickly caught up with Juvia and the others as Fairy Tail congregated together. Each of them was stoic, waiting for the results that could make or break them.

"Just beat Saber Tooth," she muttered under her breath. After an agonizingly long wait that consisted of her saying that repeatedly, the judges turned back to the guilds.

"In sixth place for today's performance," Chapati began, "is Blue Pegasus." The crowd two guilds over gave an audible groan. It was no surprise when everyone thought it would be Quattro Cerberus. "Fifth place is awarded to Quattro Cerberus and fourth goes to Mermaid Heel."

"Only the top three left…" Lucy uttered from nearby. All of Fairy Tail's breaths were collectively held.

"Receiving third place," Chapati announced and Wendy gripped her instrument tightly, "is Saber Tooth."

Life flooded back into her, into the entire guild really. It didn't matter what place _they_ had gotten; they had won! The program was saved! But they saved their cheers until Fairy Tail was announced to receive first place. Wendy looked at the final scores.

1st: FAIRY TAIL 58 pts

2nd: Saber Tooth 56 pts

3rd: Lamia Scale 52 pts

4th: Mermaid Heel 31 pts

5th: Blue Pegasus 30 pts

6th: Quattro Cerberus 13 pts

"It's Fairy Tail! Fairy Tail is the winner!" Chapati cried.

"Yeeeeah!" Natsu screamed, his voice carrying over the field as everyone in the guild cheered loudly. They weren't the only ones. All of the guilds were choosing to join in on the cheering. Wendy felt herself hugging Juvia and Laki over their win, tears of joy pricking her eyes. They won!

"Calm down, you brats," Makarov said, but even his voice was cracking. "There are refreshments in the dining hall for you guys, so why don't you head on over."

The students were all too willing to oblige with Natsu, Lucy, and Fairy Tail leading the pack. Wendy threw one last glance back and caught sight of Minerva. She wasn't moving, but had tears streaming down her face and her clarinet hanging limply at her side. Wendy felt like she was pitiable for a moment until she remembered all the horrible things she'd done and decided to ignore it. Instead, she pushed into the crowd and somehow managed to find Levy, who she gently nudged.

"Okay…" she sighed out. "Hey, Gajeel!"

"What's up, shrimp?" he asked in response.

"Let's go out somewhere."

"Didn't we yesterday?" Gajeel asked, his face pulled into one of annoyance.

"No…I mean…I want to go on a proper date." Gajeel almost fell back in shock, but appeared to compose himself quicker.

"All right. Next Monday, I'll pick you up at six, shrimp." He turned away as if he were disinterested, but as Wendy watched Levy go after him, she noticed a spring in his step.

Suddenly a whirring sound was heard overhead. Wendy stopped, now only a short distance away from the dining hall, and looked up to see a beautiful red firework exploding in the sky. Fascinated by it, she took a step forward and almost tripped. She was pulled back before she did and somehow found herself against Romeo's chest.

"Hey, Wendy," he said softly, a tone that was accentuated by the fireworks.

"Hi…" she said breathlessly. Her euphoria was filling her over their win, highlighted by the fireworks of all shapes and colors. "We won!"

"Yeah…" Romeo seemed to be thinking of something, but didn't say what. Wendy just stared at him with that exuberant grin still on her face. For his part, Romeo continued to stare into her eyes for a moment.

Then he leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

**Author's Note: Cliffie! The focus of the story will now shift to relationships for a little bit, but rest assured that conflict is not over. This is only the end of Act 2 though and we still have a remaining act to go. For that matter, next week is that time again where I may not put out a chapter because of my other story but I'm working hard at it. I appreciate all your reviews and I hope you'll hit me up with some more. So please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Here begins the third and final act of the story. I hope you'll all stick around with me to the very end.**

* * *

Chapter 12

Wendy's mind went blank.

She couldn't describe what she was feeling right now. One second she had been standing under those glorious fireworks and the next she had Romeo's lips against her own. It was almost like something out of a fairy tale with such a perfect backdrop and setting…but it was wrong. Wendy's mind flooded back to her in two distinct parts. There was the part of her that loved this, that reciprocated the affection. Then there was the more rational and dominant side of her mind.

As suddenly as Romeo had kissed her, Wendy's hands flew out and pushed him away. He stumbled back and fell to the ground. Wendy stared at him with wide eyes, her breaths heaving. Romeo glanced up from his position on the ground with eyes that were filled with rejection and hurt. She couldn't stand the sight of it, so she turned away and ran.

She ran from the cheering and the fireworks and the celebration over Fairy Tail's victory. She didn't even know where she was going, only that her knuckles were white and clasped around her clarinet. Branches whipped around her and brambles ripped at her exposed legs. Wendy hardly noticed until she finally stopped for her breath. When she did, the clarinetist looked up and chuckled ironically at where her feet had taken her: the lake.

_Romeo kissed you…_Wendy said over and over in her head, like a gnawing knife that was digging in from that place called reality. At some point, she realized that she had placed her clarinet against the very tree they had sat on all those nights ago. _Romeo kissed you._ Her fingers found their way to her lips, as if remembering what the charcoal haired boy had just done. She certainly hadn't expected it. _Romeo kissed you._ It wasn't even the fact that it had been her first kiss; she didn't really care about that kind of stuff. It was the principle. It was the suddenness.

"Wendy?" The mentioned girl gave a start. She had been so wrapped up in her own mind that she hadn't even heard him approach. Wendy refused to turn around and look at him, the person that was causing her so much turmoil in her mind. "Look, I-"

"Not now, Romeo," she whispered, afraid that if she spoke any louder it would sound unnatural.

"I-I think it's something we _should_ talk about, don't you?" he asked quietly, clearly picking up on Wendy's mood. She would have laughed if she wasn't so confused. He was always empathetic; a far cry from her brother's usual behavior.

"I said not now." Her voice was firmer this time, but Romeo clearly did not want to leave.

"Then when?" he asked, his own voice matching her tone. "Tomorrow? A week from now? A year? Never? Because I get the feeling that when you say 'not now', it's going to be a constant case of 'not now', and I can't accept that."

"Romeo, please don't make me…" She couldn't even finish her sentence. This was all too much for her.

"Then you don't have to talk," Romeo said. His voice was softer now, like it was on a roller coaster that emulated what she was feeling inside. "I kind of want to go out with you."

"Maybe you should have just asked me," Wendy said, finally turning around to face him. Framed by the forest and the moonlight, he cut a surprisingly striking figure, but Wendy was too far out of it to care. "You didn't have to kiss me!"

"I acted on impulse!" Romeo shot back defensively. As if his statement made things any better. "It seemed like the right time."

"You didn't even ask me…" Wendy squeaked out. "You know, you don't have to act like my brother all the time. Impulse isn't always the best thing."

"What is it you're trying to say?" Romeo's tone was angrier now and even Wendy could feel the pinpricks of her own rage bubbling to the surface. "Are you saying I'm childish or something?"

"I don't know what I'm saying. Maybe I just didn't appreciate it!" she snapped at him. Romeo folded his arms as he looked at her. Wendy did the same thing, but couldn't stop her body from shaking.

"Fine…duly noted. I just thought you reciprocated so I thought I'd ask you out, but clearly I was wrong." Wendy frowned at him. Why was he making this so much more difficult than it had to be? When had she ever said she didn't like him? She was only fourteen! It was hardly time to start dating when there were so many other things she had to do, even if Romeo _was_ someone she could envision being her boyfriend eventually.

"I don't have the time," Wendy weakly asserted. Romeo scoffed and tossed his hands up in the air.

"So what do you have time for? Sting and Rogue?" he asked. Wendy's frown became a confused one now. She had no idea what he meant by that.

"What are you talking about?"

"Lucy was talking about it yesterday after you ran off somewhere. She talked about your moment with them at the amusement park," he said angrily. Now her frown was beginning to turn into a scowl.

"I was just giving them some Troia Patches," she said in exasperation. "I'm a nice person like that."

"You're right…" breathed a resigned Romeo. "You are nice. I guess I mistook that for attraction. My mistake. So, let's just forget about it. See you around, Wendy."

She never had an opportunity to stop him. Romeo turned around and walked away into the woods, vanishing from sight in mere moments. Wendy just watched him go, unable to understand what had just happened. She couldn't even figure out who was in the wrong in this situation. The only thing she did know was that she had never said or considered that she didn't like Romeo Conbolt. Her body gave out seconds later and she fell upon the leaves, her knees close to the water's edge. Unbidden, tears began to fall, but she couldn't fathom why. This whole thing was stupid.

"Stupid Romeo Conbolt…" Wendy choked out through the tears. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to gain control of the confused emotions inside her. At some point the tears stopped, but Wendy wasn't sure for how long she'd been sitting there; she only knew that her mind was officially empty. She sniffled a bit, staring at the water moving back and forth. This wasn't like her, getting so upset over some boy. Yet in the furthest corners of her mind, Romeo wasn't just some boy. Somewhere along the way, it was possible he'd become more than that.

"Wendy! Where are you?" a voice called through the trees. Wendy turned around and all too quickly caught sight of two figures approaching her through the woods. She squinted and made out the red and blue hair, instantly informing the bluenette of who it was.

"Erza, she's over here," came the deep voice of Jellal. Wendy didn't move but saw as the couple approached her. "Are you all right, Wendy? You left the celebration so suddenly."

"I'm fine," Wendy assured the senior. "Just some personal issues." Jellal stared at her skeptically, but moved aside after a moment to allow Erza to smother her in hugs.

"We were worried after you went missing, Wendy. It's all my fault! I should have a kept a closer on you," Erza lamented. "Jellal, you may slap me for my failure."

"I'm not slapping you, Erza." The scarlet haired musician seemed to have moved on though, and was examining Wendy's face in scrutiny.

"You've been crying," she observed quietly. Wendy, not wanting to show weakness to Erza, wiped her eyes with her shirt.

"It's nothing." Erza frowned at her insistence. The senior turned her head to her boyfriend who seemed to understand her wordless request for he walked a short distance away and stayed there. "I promised myself that I wouldn't cry."

"Sometimes you need to, though," Erza told her as she sat next to the bluenette. "Have I ever told you about me and Jellal?" Wendy looked at her and shook her head. "Jellal and I have known each other since we were children at the same orphanage along with others like Kagura and her brother, Simon. This was before we all got adopted into separate families. Well, one day, Simon and Jellal got into this completely ridiculous fight over me, and Simon got sent to the hospital. Jellal was forced into weeks of anger management that only ended when they found out the head of the orphanage was abusing him in exchange for leaving the other kids alone. When we all learned that, we thought it was a matter of time before Simon forgave Jellal and he returned. Of course, Jellal was adopted by a local family soon after and then decided to go to a private school instead. It was his own choice, by the way.

"I confronted him about it and he said that he didn't want to hurt me. He then didn't speak to me for three years before we reunited in high school. Even then, we had a hard time accepting the past."

"Is there a reason you're telling me this?" Wendy asked, afraid of sounding rude, but not understanding the reason all the same. Erza took a breath in before answering.

"Men do stupid things, especially when it concerns the girls they like," Erza told her. "The point is being able to forgive those things with time."

"Yeah…" Wendy sighed out, but she wasn't really listening to Erza's words. Erza smiled at her before picking her up from the ground and grabbing her clarinet.

"Come on, Wendy. We have to get up early tomorrow so we can go home." Wendy nodded dumbly and allowed the scarlet haired vixen to lead her away towards the cabins. It was only when Wendy lay down her exhausted head that she realized Erza had known exactly what to talk about without the bluenette having to say a word.

That hardly made her feel any better.

* * *

The next day was, quite honestly, one of the most awkward days in Wendy's life. It started out as normal as the last two weeks had despite the gut churning realization of what had happened last night. All of the girls were still atwitter about their victory the previous evening. The only one of them that remained stoic was Erza, who would occasionally give Wendy some solemn looks. The fourteen year old ignored them while she finished packing her suitcase. Then she and Meredy set off with Ultear for the dining hall.

"You're in Honors English? So am I!" Meredy exclaimed when their topic of conversation had switched to school courses. "Maybe we have the same teacher so I can steal your homework."

"Don't be a slacker, Meredy," chastised Ultear as they finished walking up the path to the dining hall.

"I'm not a slacker," Meredy pouted. "I'm just skilled at finding ways around work."

"Well, I won't let you copy me but we can still work together and have study sessions," Wendy said with a giggle. Meredy pumped her fist in triumph. Ultear just shook her head.

"Score! Let's trade numbers, Wendy." Meredy took out a piece of paper and scribbled her number across it before handing it to Wendy. She was about to write her own down when she caught sight of Natsu and Romeo about to intercept them. The bluenette pursed her lips and hastily wrote her number down. They tore the paper in half and held on to the other's numbers.

"Hey, sis, I couldn't find you at the celebration last night," Natsu called over. Wendy looked at him with a smile, though she knew she was forcing it. Romeo took one look in their direction with somewhat red eyes before departing from Natsu for the dining hall. Wendy stiffened at that until Natsu's hand fell on her shoulder.

"Sorry, I wasn't feeling very well last night. Must've eaten something funny," she replied.

"Natsu, I have a favor to ask," Ultear spoke up, causing the attention to gratefully shift to her. "Since mine and Gray's families are heading back together, I need you to make sure Gray has all his clothes packed in his suitcase, not all over the camp."

"Why would I help Ice Boy?" Natsu complained.

"I'll tell Erza."

"I'll do whatever you say, Zalty!" Natsu said with a mini bow before racing back towards his cabin.

"I hate it when he calls me that…Just because they cast me as a man once!" It seemed to Wendy like everybody in the Fullbuster and Milkovitch families hated something that Natsu called them. Meredy laughed loudly as the three continued their trek into the dining hall. Wendy was surprised at the sight in the hall. Large signs had been erected, indicating the directions that the musicians should go to get fitted. Some tables were even missing from the hall to make room for the rack of uniforms that was being brought in.

"I am starved!" Meredy exclaimed, leading the pack over to the plates. Romeo was just leaving from getting his food and he walked past them without even a second glance. Ultear watched him go with an eyebrow raised, but to Wendy's elation, she decided to pursue a different topic of conversation.

"You ate almost all the meatballs at the celebration last night! How can you be hungry, Meredy?"

"Don't judge me, Ultear." Wendy giggled a little, but her mind flew inextricably back to Romeo. He was ignoring her; that much was obvious. _Well, it's not like we can go back to normal after last night,_ she thought. It saddened her and hurt her, but if Romeo didn't want to talk to her anymore, then two could easily play that game.

"Are you all right, Wendy?" Ultear suddenly asked. "You're putting ketchup on your pancakes."

"I…like ketchup?" Wendy answered timidly. Ultear gave her a soft smile and pat her on the head before returning to her argument with Meredy. Wendy joined them at a nearby table and shook her head. She had to get over this. It wasn't like she had a completely romantic attraction to the boy, right? The bluenette took one last look around the room and noticed Romeo staring at anyone by her. She sighed and then threw herself into the argument between her two companions.

Breakfast finished soon after the other girls arrived and the students were forced to evacuate the dining hall for half an hour while the teachers finished setting up. In that time, Wendy chatted with her cabin mates, intervened when a paper basketball competition (using sheet music and a trash can, of course) between Natsu and Sting went horribly awry, and ended up trading numbers with Milliana all because the sophomore wanted to see her "kitty-kitties". She also hardly caught a glimpse of Chelia and, as expected, Romeo was avoiding her entirely. That suited her just fine.

Thanks to her boisterous family and guild mates, Wendy managed to be one of the first in line for the uniform fittings. When she stepped inside, she happened to get Gildarts supervising her as he led her to what was likely part of the smallest sizes of uniforms. She would have pouted if she weren't trying the uniforms on. To her great surprise, despite the uniform mostly being white and black, Gildarts had also given her a red cape and hat once she had found her size.

"We still wear our guild colors?" she asked.

"The show often makes use of them," Gildarts told her. "Have a good rest of the summer, Wendy."

Wendy said her own farewell to the auburn-haired teacher as she slung her uniform over her shoulder. She strolled past the ever-growing line of students which included Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue who had somehow moved backwards in line. Wendy shook her head and returned to her cabin to finish packing.

"Hey, Wendy, I don't think we ever got your number," Levy said once she had zipped up her bag. The fourteen year old obliged her fellow bluenette and the two traded numbers. Levy promised to pass her number on to the others and Wendy departed the cabin. She didn't have anyone to help her along so it took a few minutes for her to reach the camp parking lot. Her parents weren't there yet so she settled on her suitcase and began to wait.

"Boys suck," Chelia said suddenly from right next to her, emulating her thoughts exactly. Wendy turned to look at her best friend with a despondent look.

"What happened with Lyon?" she asked. Chelia sighed.

"Nothing," she answered. Wendy raised her eyebrows skeptically. "And when I say nothing, I literally mean nothing. I _thought_ he was asking me out two days ago, _finally_! Turns out, all we did all day was stalk Gray and Juvia at Ryuzetsu Land. I can't even blame Juvia because she's so clearly with Gray, and Lyon's being an annoying little prick."

"Is that why you looked so angry the other day?"

"Probably," Chelia huffed angrily. "So, what's going on with you and Romeo? You guys seem to be avoiding each other like the plague."

"Just a…disagreement," Wendy said after settling on an appropriate word. Chelia shrugged.

"I'm sure you guys will patch things up," she said. "Myself, on the other hand, I'm about to give up on love entirely."

"That's not like you…" Wendy gasped out. Chelia couldn't even be bothered to respond. "Maybe you just need to move on from Lyon and find someone else."

"Maybe…" Chelia suddenly wrapped her arms around Wendy in a hug. "Thanks, Wendy. You're a really good friend."

"I'm your best friend," she reminded the pinkette. Chelia giggled as a horn honked. Wendy looked up and saw Chelia's cousin, Sherry, with her boyfriend Ren waiting for them in a nearby car. "Well, there's my ride. We've gotta hang out sometime before school starts. Oh, and congratulations on the win!" Chelia gave a final wave before disappearing into the car which took off immediately. Wendy hardly had a moment to breathe before she saw her parents pulling up with Happy and Carla lounging about in the back seat.

"Your brother's not here yet?" Grandine asked as Igneel took his daughter's things.

As if on cue, Natsu came dashing into the parking lot with his bags over his shoulder and twirling Gray's shirt in one hand before tossing it into the bushes. The front of his pants were soaking wet. "I'm here."

"And your pants are wet because…?" Grandine questioned. Natsu seemed to notice the questionable mark, but he shrugged it off.

"Exhibition match between me, Gray, and Sting," Natsu answered as he flung his stuff into the trunk. "I improved Sting's fashion sense and Gray shoved some ice cubes in my pants…accidentally! I don't roll that way and neither does he."

"I'm sorry I asked," their mother mumbled and she slipped back into the car. Natsu turned to Wendy with a grin as he attached his Troia Patch.

"Take a good look, sis," he said, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "We won't be back for another year, even if we come back to Crocus for the finals."

Wendy took her brother's advice and looked out over the broad expanse of Crocus Fields. She had a lot of new memories here. Some of them were bad, but most of them were good. It made her happy to be a part of the Magnolia High Music Program. She couldn't wait to come back. Shortly after, she got into the car and nuzzled against Carla. As the car pulled away she looked back out one more time and she could have sworn she saw Romeo staring after them.

* * *

There wasn't much of summer left by the time the Dragneels returned home from camp. Since it had run through the first week of August and school started in the last week, it meant that they had a little over two weeks to get registered and get their homework done. Well, Natsu had a little over two weeks; Wendy had finished hers by early June and was now helping Meredy a week after camp had ended.

"No, they want you to give direct quotes, not just a summary of what the theme is," Wendy said into her phone. The communications device was nestled between her ear and shoulder while her elbow propped the refrigerator door open.

"That's stupid. If they wanted direct quotes they should have just asked for quotes," Meredy complained. On her end of the line there was the clacking of a keyboard and what sounded like a bag of chips accompanying her voice.

"How did you get into Honors English, anyway?" joked Wendy.

"Cliff notes," was the honest answer. "I really am smart, but when they say AP, for me it really means Advanced Procrastination."

"Hmm…" Wendy said as she peered into the fridge for something to eat. Happy came around the corner and swirled around her legs while staring up at her with big eyes. Hearing the cat's silent plea, she reached into the fridge and pulled out a small piece of fish. "Don't tell mom."

Happy gratefully picked up the fish and trotted over to Carla, dumping the fish in front of her. Carla turned away in rejection but flicked her tail across the blue feline's face in an almost sultry manner. Wendy suppressed a laugh. Suddenly a cry came from above. "Wendy! I need help!"

"Ugh, I gotta go, Meredy," Wendy said with a sigh. "My brother's preparing for his first real date with Lucy."

"Sounds fun…" Meredy said in a deadpan. "I have to finish this assignment. See you at practice on Friday."

"Yep." Wendy ended the conversation before slamming the fridge door shut. Then she went up the stairs to Natsu's room which looked like a hurricane had bowled it over. Standing in the center was a shirtless Natsu, who was holding both a white shirt and a black shirt.

"Which one?" Natsu asked. Wendy resisted the urge to facepalm. Her brother was completely out of his depth here.

"You wear a white scarf, Natsu. I think it's pretty obvious which color you should wear."

"You're right. Black's a better color for the theatre, anyway." Natsu's comment suddenly reminded Wendy of that ticket to Rose Garden's attractions that was still sitting in her room. The very same ticket she had won with Romeo, who was the one person she was trying to forget. She'd done and admirable job so far. The doorbell rang below and Wendy left to answer it.

"Wow! You look so pretty, Lucy!" she exclaimed upon opening the door to reveal the blonde-haired girl. She was dressed in a black dress that showed off her figure and her hair was done up in a style that Wendy had never seen her wear before.

"Thanks," she mumbled with a blush. Wendy smiled at her while the sounds of Natsu finishing his preparations echoed from upstairs. "I'm kind of nervous about going to somewhere as fancy as Scherezade's. I almost wish we had gotten the ones for Rose Garden like you and Romeo. Have you guys used them yet?"

"Romeo and I haven't really spoken with each other since camp ended," Wendy told her. Lucy was about to say something when Natsu joined them.

"You haven't spoken with anyone but Chelia and Meredy since camp ended," he commented. "Wow, Lucy, you look hot!"

"I hung out with Milliana, too," Wendy countered. Lucy decided on this moment to insert herself into the sibling conversation.

"Wait, why haven't you spoken with Romeo? I thought you two got along well."

"I thought it was weird, too," Natsu observed. "I thought they'd be spending the rest of summer together since Romeo was planning on confessing to her. Come to think of it, he's not telling me anything either."

It was like someone had pressed the pause button on Wendy's life. For a moment, she couldn't breathe or think. What Natsu had just said felt like a burning iron against her skin. "…You knew?"

"Wait, what happened now?" Lucy asked, her face one of utter bamboozlement. "Romeo confessed to you?"

"He kissed me," she said coldly. It was the first time she had spoken of it to anyone and it felt good to get it out there.

"He _kissed_ you? !" Lucy asked indignantly.

"What's so wrong with that?" Natsu asked. "I kissed you and we got together."

"Yeah, but we've known each other for years, not two weeks!" Lucy screeched, causing Wendy's brother to flinch. "What did you say to him?"

"He asked my permission to ask out Wendy. I told him to go for it and act on the impulse," Natsu said, his tone slightly apologetic and fearful. "Was that wrong of me?"

"Yes!" Lucy yelled in exasperation. "You should know that Romeo idolizes you so of course he'd emulate you. But Wendy's not the kind of girl to get kissed and be like a love-sick puppy. He disrespected her by not even asking her out before he kissed her."

"Guys, can we not have this conversation right now?" Wendy asked. The older teens seemed to realize what they were arguing about and looked sheepishly at the bluenette.

"Sorry, Wendy…I'm sorry for not realizing it sooner. I'm sure your brother's heart was in the right place, too," Lucy apologized. Wendy nodded her acceptance as Natsu hooked his arm with Lucy's.

"Well, we have to get going or we'll be late. See you later, Wendy! And I'm sorry for not telling you!" Wendy just waved at her brother and told them to have a good time before he and Lucy disappeared.

The house suddenly felt so empty, and Wendy felt the same. Why was it that life was choosing to kick her around so much? She had been trying so hard to forget Romeo Conbolt and his stupid decisions over the last week, but all it took was a single question from Lucy to turn that all around. Letting out a groan of frustration, Wendy slipped her flip-flops on, grabbed her keys and locked the door on her way out of the house. It was a beautiful day out and Wendy decided she'd just go for a walk, though she quickly realized she was heading for Magnolia's South Gate Park. Some students from school were there, including Sting and Rogue, who offered to let her join their game of kickball. She declined and decided to sit on the nearby bench, staring at their game vapidly.

"You look upset," a voice said from next to her. Wendy finally realized she wasn't alone and turned her head.

"Mr. Doranbolt? What are you doing here?" she asked, bewilderment scrawled across her features. Doranbolt gave a small chuckle as he gestured to the black-haired bespectacled man approaching them from a very far distance.

"Out for a run with Lahar, but he's such a slowpoke," the older man answered. "Saw you here sitting alone, so I thought I'd come over to say hi."

"Oh…well, hi, Mr. Doranbolt," Wendy said dejectedly. She really didn't care to have a conversation with anyone at the moment. Doranbolt seemed to understand that, because he was silent too, if only for a moment.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Wendy said a little too quickly. Doranbolt smiled at her knowingly. "It's personal stuff."

"Boy troubles?" he asked. She snapped a look of wild accusation to him. "It was kind of obvious. There are only two things that could get a girl like you so down: your parents or a boy."

"I guess so…" Wendy sighed out. Her face fell into her hands as she tried to think of something to say but came up with nothing.

"What happened?" he asked, tearing his gaze away from her for a moment to look at Lahar, who was still approaching.

"I don't even know…" she lamented. "We were getting along really well and then he kissed me and now I'm not sure what I want. I like him as a friend but I can't think that I really like him as anything else. I mean, he didn't even respect my feelings, but I know he wasn't _trying_ to be disrespectful. I don't know where it leaves us though. I'm so confused…"

"Do you like him?" Doranbolt asked. Wendy looked up to her former teacher and saw the insistent question in his eyes. He wasn't going to let this go. "Well?"

"I don't know!" Wendy cried out truthfully, her mind a haze riddled with doubt and confusion. Doranbolt sighed and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Let me tell you a story, Wendy."

"I don't need any more stories."

"Just hear me out," he said softly. "So, when I was in college I met this beautiful girl named Katja. She was kind and smart and funny; actually, you kind of remind me of her. Anyway, we were an unflappable trio, me, her, and Lahar, but Lahar always had bigger plans so he would often leave us alone to study. By the time junior year rolled around, we started dating.

"Senior year came quickly after and I hadn't found a job yet, but Katja started wondering if we'd move in together. I wasn't sure if I was ready, or if I even wanted that. I told her as much, and she seemed fine with it, but it created this rift in our relationship. We decided to take a break and evaluate ourselves as a couple from there. By graduation, I had finally decided that I _did_ want to move in with her, but she had already moved on with some guy named Sugarboy by then. I don't think I ever saw her again."

"So you're saying…what now?" Wendy asked, at a complete loss for words.

"I think you need to figure out what you want before he moves on and never looks back," Doranbolt said. He patted her shoulder as he stood and called to Lahar, who was finally reaching their location. "If you were any slower, we'd still be here next week."

"Shut up," Lahar snapped. Doranbolt laughed, earning a blow to the back of the head before he bid farewell to Wendy and the two took off.

Wendy continued to sit there silently, watching the kickball game continuing onward with Rogue's team beating Sting's. Her phone rang a few times, but she ignored it in favor of staring at the now setting sun. When the kickball players had packed up was when Wendy decided it was finally time to return home. The streets were emptier now as little lights flared in the houses' windows. Some cars were returning home from work but Wendy didn't care as she trudged up the Dragneels' garden path.

"There you are, Wendy," Grandine said from the living room as Wendy came into the house. "Dinner's in the microwave if you're hungry."

"I'll eat later." Her mother nodded, even though her lips were drawn in a disapproving line. Wendy ignored the displeased expression and headed straight for her room where she collapsed onto her bed. Carla leaped from her desk and onto her chest where Wendy picked her up and held her aloft. She noticed that the cat smelled vaguely of fish. "Why are boys so complicated, Carla?"

Carla gave a dismissive meow as a response. Deeming that response as not helpful, she dropped the cat to the floor.

_I think you need to figure out what you want before he moves on and never looks back._

What did she want? For that matter, why was she so upset about this? Sure, Romeo had kissed her, but it wasn't like he randomly did that for every girl. That wouldn't fit with his personality. No, Romeo Conbolt was kind and encouraging and energetic. He was a boy who stood up for his friends and obviously cared deeply for her. Not to mention, he _was_ good looking. True, he had made a mistake, but didn't liking someone mean looking past those faults and allowing each other to become better people.

Wendy suddenly shot up in her bed, the budding revelation on the tip of her tongue. She had tried so hard to avoid it, to tell everyone she didn't have time for it. But now it was all clear and it had proved her so wrong. The thought was so consuming that she had to say it aloud.

"I think I fell for Romeo Conbolt."

* * *

**Author's Note: As I read all your wonderful reviews last week, I couldn't help but think "They're gonna hate me so much…" but I really hope that's not the case. Needless to say, we need some drama and I'm not going to drag this tiff out (we're in the last quarter of the story so I really can't). Also, I am not creating random pairings here (because, yes, Sugarboy/Katja is random), I just needed a plot device. Although I loved bringing Doranbolt in. Sure, he's a slightly creepy pedo and his pairing with Wendy disturbs me, but he's a total badass because he's the only guy on the Council with a set of balls. Now, how about that chapter? GaLe has officially set sail in a big way! That "Hands Off!" was great and it's nice to see Torafusa as a threat. But next week's episode…we all know what happens. Anyway, I've talked long enough. I greatly appreciate every review and I hope to see all of you return. So, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.**


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